Daijiworld Media Network- Panaji

Panaji, Sep 4: Goa has recorded a marginal rise in mango and cashew output for the fiscal year 2024-25, but farmers and officials warn that climate change and erratic rainfall patterns continue to threaten long-term productivity.

As per data from the directorate of Agriculture, the state produced 10,440 tonnes of mangoes and 24,882 tonnes of cashew nuts this season. This marks a slight increase compared to last year’s 10,079 tonnes of mango and 24,240 tonnes of cashew. However, both crops remain below their peak figures, with cashew production touching as high as 27,366 tonnes in 2020-21.

Farmers have pointed to shifting weather patterns as the main culprit. “Earlier, we could plan our work around predictable seasons. Now, we just wait and hope. Even if plantations expand, yields won’t improve unless the weather supports us. The government must step in with compensation,” said a farmer from Sattari.

Officials echoed similar concerns. Goa state horticulture corporation Ltd (GSHCL) managing director Chandrahas Desai said, “Crops require a stable winter of two to three months for optimum yield. But the monsoon now stretches into October, November, and even December, overlapping with the flowering and fruiting stages. Farmers are left with barely one to one-and-a-half months of clear winter.”

Farmers fear that without adaptive farming practices and targeted government support, Goa’s mango and cashew industries—once considered the pride of the state—may struggle to sustain profitability in the years ahead. “We need strong mitigation measures, including the promotion of climate-resilient varieties,” another farmer added.