Even as the stature rises in the realm of superfoods, Goasagriculture departmentis all set to reclaim the states forgotten millets finger tail (nachni) and foxtail (vari). While cultivation of these millets was around 100 hectares three decades ago, its now just around 20 hectares.
While the millet was never widely grown in Goa, the tiny grain gradually lost ground to paddy, as the support price and comparatively bigger yields madefarmerschoose the latter.
In 2022, a survey by the Agriculture-notes-for-state-psc-exams”>Agriculture department found just around 250 farmers grow the two types of millets. This cultivation takes place in the hilly areas of five talukas Canancona, Pernem, Quepem, Sanguem andValpoi. Paddy, on the other hand, is grown across 33,677 hectares across Goa.
Most farmers have a small area 500-1,000 sqm under millet cultivation in Goa. While the agriculture department wants to enhance this area, farmers will be encouraged to take up millet cultivation in smaller portions, said the agriculture director.
A scheme is being drafted to improve the quality of produce by having better quality of millet seeds at a subsidised rate. He said that trials have also been done.