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Area under millet farming doubles with govt push.
Sep 21, 2023

Once snubbed for not yielding lucrative returns, the superfood raagi is slowly regaining its position as one of the most sought-after crops by Goan farmers.
Until last year, around 20,000 hectares of land was under millet cultivation, restricted only to hilly terrain.
With 2023 being the international year of millets, the directorate of agriculture through its various zonal agricultural officers pushed for widespread cultivation of the crop in the state, owing to which, approximately 50,000 hectares of land are currently under millet cultivation.
'Due to the extensive awareness programmes, cultivation of millets is being enthusiastically taken up by farmers. In addition, the government has announced Rs 20,000 per hectare to farmers as an incentive for cultivating millets in the financial year 2023-24. This has proved to be encouraging to the farmers,' said director of agriculture, Nevil Alphonso.
 
Traditionally, two types of millet — finger tail (nachni) and foxtail (vari) — are grown in hilly areas like Quepem and Canacona. Farmers have started growing millets in Salcete, Bardez and Tiswadi since July under the guidance of zonal agricultural officers.
The harvest season is expected to begin in October. With the area under millets having increased, the overall annual production of the crop is also expected to yield fruitful results this year.
 
In rabi season, the directorate of agriculture intends to include another additional 40-50 hectares of area under millet cultivation.
'Millet is therefore a kharif and rabi crop. It doesn’t require much irrigation and yields good produce with little effort,' Alphonso said.
However, coastal agriculture experts intend to be more aggressive in growing the superfood.
The Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), South Goa has held trials of other varieties of millets that can be grown in Goa, besides exploring the potential of growing bajra and amaranth millet on a large scale. Demonstrations are being carried out at some farmers’ fields where these varieties can be grown in Goa’s humid climate.
    
timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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