Margao: Stating that a total of 1,273 local farmers supplied 1,662 metric tonnes of vegetables to the Goa State Horticulture Corporation (GSHC) in the financial year 2024–25, managing director Chandrahas Desai urged for larger participation of the farmers besides also more efforts to increase output to help meet growing demand in Goa.
Goa requires an estimated 300 tonnes of vegetables daily. Of this, GSHC outlets supply only 130 tonnes, with the remaining 170 tonnes sourced from private suppliers, corporations, and societies, Desai said.
“We procure vegetables from Belagavi and other regions. During the monsoon, yields drop due to waterlogging, which keeps demand high and drives prices up,” he said.
Desai said vegetable prices tend to increase by 15–20% during the monsoon. Suppliers from outside Goa, particularly Belagavi, often raise prices during this period as their crops suffer from water retention in black soil, whereas Goa’s porous soil facilitates better drainage.
“During the monsoon, farmer supply dips slightly as the focus shifts to cultivating monsoon-friendly crops like ladyfingers and cucumbers. Post-monsoon, however, farmers provide chillies, eight varieties of leafy vegetables, and various fruits to the corporation,” he said.
Stating that the GSHC, along with the Department of Agriculture, consistently works to support local farmers by procuring and distributing their produce across the state, Desai commended the efforts of all 1,273 farmers who marketed 1,662 metric tonnes of produce through the GSHC.
