Agriculture director ascribes climate changes to falling paddy, mango produce; vegetable production increases marginally PANJIM: The total cropped area for cultivation in Goa has been marginally declining over the years, gradually bringing down agricultural produce. In 2014-15, there were 1,57,702 hectares of land available for cultivation, ensuring 4,59,950 tonnes of produce, excluding coconut which was 127.7 (million nuts). In 2015-16, the amount of land available for cultivation was down to 1,56,462 hectares and production also fell to 4,53,529 tonnes excluding coconut which was 129.35 (million nuts). In 2014-15, there were 41,970 hectares of land under paddy cultivation resulting in 1,80,754 tonnes of production but in 2015-16, land available for paddy cultivation marginally came down to 41,344 hectares thus resulting in produce falling to 1,72,602 tonnes. Further mango production has also seen a massive decline even as the area of mango production went up marginally. The year 2014-15 saw a mango produce of 8,887 tonnes over an area of 4,843 hectares while in 2015-16 the production was only 5,958 tonnes produced over an area of 4,884 hectares. The unfavourable climatic changes are being seen as having largely affected mango production and led to losses in the mango business. “The main reason for production to go down is the climatic conditions which have changed drastically. The type of climate we have now in Goa was not there earlier. For example mornings are colder and afternoons are hotter. Even the paddy crop has decreased slightly,” Agriculture Director Ulhas Kakode said. However, vegetable production has seen a slight increase. In 2014-15 there were 82,001 tonnes of produce over an area of 7,188 hectares while in 2015-16 vegetable production rose marginally to 82,594 tonnes cultivated on an area of 7,240 hectares. In terms of sugarcane production, the area available increased from 808 hectares in 2014-15 to 1,139 hectares in 2015-16, increasing production of sugarcane slightly from 49,215 tonnes to 58,077 tonnes respectively.