2.2 tons of free vegetable seeds to improve production of Rabi Crops in Goa

The Department of Agriculture has set a target for this year's distribution of 2.2 tonnes of vegetable seeds for the rabi season. This is due to the phenomenal response to growing their own food they got during the lockdown from Goans.

"Many individuals who took up farming during the lockdown want to try to irrigate the land. The next step to take on their irrigated land after the Kharif season harvest will be to start growing Rabi crops,” said Deputy Director of Agriculture, Chintamani Perni.

This season, the agriculture department has already distributed approximately 1.2 tonnes of seeds and will distribute the remainder in the coming days. These are vegetable seeds such as brinjal, raddish, cabbage, cauliflower and even methi, red amaranthus and even cluster beans of leafy greens.

The vegetable seeds are collected from the Goa State Limited Horticultural Company (GSHCL) and a few seed firms. The seeds' prices vary accordingly.

From the responses received in the last rabi season, the reaction to obtaining these seeds from us is relatively better. "We expect the goal of disbursing 2.2 tons of seeds to be completed by this sowing season," Perni said.

Just one ton of seeds were spread in the rabi season last year.

In addition, the department of agriculture also grows seedlings for vegetables and offers the same to farmers at a subsidized cost of 75%. Such seedlings will be spread to farmers at a rate of about 5 lakh.