Panaji, Aug 26 (UNI) At least 23 national and hybrid varieties of mango will be introduced in Goa, Agriculture Minister Viswajeet Rane said today.
He was replying to an unstarred question by Francis D'Souza (BJP) in the state Legislative Assembly.
He said of the 91 varieties of mango available, 13 common varieties are cultivated in the state.
The government, he said, will develop the Scion banks of these varieties for future production at various department farms besides the Indian Council of Agriculture Research complex at Ela in Old Goa.
In a written reply to a question by Rajesh Patnekar (BJP), the minister said at least seven varieties of banana are cultivated in the state and there was no decline in the production of banana, which stood at 23,480 tonnes in 2007-08 as against 16,000 tonnes in 2003-04.
Yet the government had been taking various measures to boost the yield and production, including assistance of Rs 15,000 per hectare of new area cultivated for banana under the National Horticulture Mission of the Union Government of India and a matching assistance by the state, Mr Rane said.
In reply to another question, the minister said the government was providing 50 per cent subsidy on use of insecticides and biopesticides, 75 per cent on micro nutrients and rock phosphate, besides 50 to 90 per cent subsidy on creation of irrigation facility for coconut plantations.
Admitting that some of the farms had been infested with mite, he said the affected farmers were advised to apply five kg of neem cake per tree, besides adopting integrated nutrient management practices.
Use of 40 to 50 kg compost per tree, proper irrigation facility and adoption of inter cropping technique to maintain humidity, were among other suggestions made to farmers to cope with the mite, the agriculture Minister added.
The minister had also enumerated various measures to improve the quality and production of paddy in Goa, including plant protection, weed management and timely harvesting methods.
UNI BM RN SKB KK RN1735
He was replying to an unstarred question by Francis D'Souza (BJP) in the state Legislative Assembly.
He said of the 91 varieties of mango available, 13 common varieties are cultivated in the state.
The government, he said, will develop the Scion banks of these varieties for future production at various department farms besides the Indian Council of Agriculture Research complex at Ela in Old Goa.
In a written reply to a question by Rajesh Patnekar (BJP), the minister said at least seven varieties of banana are cultivated in the state and there was no decline in the production of banana, which stood at 23,480 tonnes in 2007-08 as against 16,000 tonnes in 2003-04.
Yet the government had been taking various measures to boost the yield and production, including assistance of Rs 15,000 per hectare of new area cultivated for banana under the National Horticulture Mission of the Union Government of India and a matching assistance by the state, Mr Rane said.
In reply to another question, the minister said the government was providing 50 per cent subsidy on use of insecticides and biopesticides, 75 per cent on micro nutrients and rock phosphate, besides 50 to 90 per cent subsidy on creation of irrigation facility for coconut plantations.
Admitting that some of the farms had been infested with mite, he said the affected farmers were advised to apply five kg of neem cake per tree, besides adopting integrated nutrient management practices.
Use of 40 to 50 kg compost per tree, proper irrigation facility and adoption of inter cropping technique to maintain humidity, were among other suggestions made to farmers to cope with the mite, the agriculture Minister added.
The minister had also enumerated various measures to improve the quality and production of paddy in Goa, including plant protection, weed management and timely harvesting methods.
UNI BM RN SKB KK RN1735
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