PANAJI: JANUARY 24,2020 …. Chief Minister, Dr Pramod Sawant called upon the farmers to go inter- cropping system and urged the agricultural officers of Goa to strive to convince local farmers to venture in to intercropping partiCcularly the turmeric and others spices by informing them of its benefits and supplementing returns.
Dr. Sawant was addressing the concluding the two day National Seminar on ‘Spices: Emerging Trends in Production, Processing and Marketing’ recently. The Seminar was organized at ICAR Old Goa, by the Association for Coastal Agricultural Research, ICAR-Central Coastal Agricultural Research Institute-Goa in collaboration with the Directorate of Arecanut and Spices Development Kerala.
The Chief Minister Dr.Pramod Sawant while addressing the gathering said that the two day seminar on Spices is a eye opener, especially for Goan farmers where in they must have learn about how spice production in Goa can be enhanced to double their income.
The Chief Minister further highlighted the need of proper education to our farmers with regards to spice production, its process and marketing. There is a need to promote spice farming in Goa. The spice production can be increased with the adaptation of modern technology. Here in too, the officials of Agriculture Department have important role to play, he remarked.
Dr. Remashree, Director, Spice Board in her address said that spice production is suitable to the climatic conditions and economical in production. It hasevery scope to increase the income of farmers. The spice production faces problems of manpower, pesticide and marketing which needs to be addressed. The spices are low volume but high value crops owing to their antimicrobial, nutraceutical and other special quality characters and that spices need to be valued for their intrinsic factors she pointeded.
Ex- Directors of ICAR- Goa Dr. Korikantimath, Dr. Narendra Pratap Singh were felicitated at the hands of Chief Minister, Dr. Sawant.
The first prizes for best paper presentation on “Natural Diversity in Kokum ( Garcinia Indica ) was won by Dr.Priya Devi and her team Members Shri Kotesh Lamani, Ms Tejayowda Bhanuja, while the second prize was won by Ms Thanka Mani C.K. who presented paper on ‘’Influence of nutrient Management system in microbial diversity and soil fertility of black pepper’ with other team members Ms. Archana, K. Kumar, Shri Srinivasan V. and Shri Sarathambal C.
Dr. S.D. Sawant, Vice Chancellor, Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krushi Vidyapith, Dapoli Maharashtra, Dr.Nazeer Ahmad, Vice Chancellor, Sher-E-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology of J&K, Dr. Homeo Cheriyan, Director,DASD, Kozhikode, Dr. E.B. Chakurkar, Director (A) ICAR-CCAR,Goa, Zonal Agricultural Officers of Goa Agriculture Department, farmers attended the function.
Dr. Priya Devi, Principal Scientist, Horticulture compered the function.
