Alina urges youth to 'get back to the fields' (ToI)

TNN | Oct 23, 2013, 02.47 AM IST MARGAO: Minister for environment Alina Saldanha, on Tuesday, exhorted Goan youth to go back to the fields and farms to grow enough crops and vegetables to ensure that the state achieves self-sufficiency within a year. "There will not be a soul who will not fall in love with Goa's green fields. Another symbol of Goa is the swaying coconut palms. There's sheer joy in getting back to nature. Just watching the vegetables grow is a reward in itself," Saldanha said while addressing farmers from Salcete at the vegetable growers' meet organized jointly by the department of agriculture and the Goa State Horticulture Development Corporation (GSHDC) at Ravindra Bhavan, Margao. While the farmers registered their presence for the meet in significant numbers, the absence of South Goa MLAs, save Saldanha, despite their names being prominently mentioned in the invitation cards, was glaring. Orlando Rodrigues, managing director, GSHDC, said that while Goa's requirement of vegetables is approximately 400 tonnes per day, sourcing of vegetables from outside the state only meets half that demand. Thirty-five trucks of the GSHDC bring vegetables from Belgaum everyday which is sold to the public through over 800 outlets of the corporation. Stating that vegetables grown by Goan farmers will be procured by GSHDC at "assured rates", Rodrigues urged farmers from Salcete to also take the benefit of selling their produce in the land earmarked for them at the SGPDA market in Margao. "A highway vegetable bazaar will also be set up near the Verna bypass road for which land will be acquired soon. Similar bazaars will be set up at Barcem and other places to ensure that local farmers get a good price for their produce," Rodrigues said. Sandeep Phaldessai, zonal agriculture officer, Salcete, outlined the various subsidy schemes on offer for farmers. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Alina-urges-youth-to-get-back-to-the-fields/articleshow/24560088.cms