BIZ-GA-ORGANIC-FARMING

Announcing setting up of 500

organic farming clusters, Goa agriculture minister Vijai

Sardesai Thursday said the objective is to create a 'brand

Goa' in the farm sector on the lines of 'Whole Foods' in the

US, and provide an impetus to farming with a thrust on organic

farm produce.

The minister also announced plans to sign an agreement

with an Israeli company for organic farming, to bring down

cost as currently this mode of farming is expensive.

"We are going to enter into an agreement with an

Israeli company wherein we will be creating a centre of

excellence for organic farming," he said without offering

details while addressing a seminar on farming.

He said the state government cleared the 500 organic

farming clusters just two days ago.

Calling for following the UN's sustainable development

model, he said the state can achieve this by developing a

'brand Goa' which sells well even today and cited the example

of how a brand called Goa Gutkha, which is neither owned by a

Goan nor manufactured in the tiny tourist state, is sold well

just for its label.

"That gutkha is neither produced in Goa nor consumed

here, but that person made so much money that he bought Vijay

Mallya's house," he said referring to the purchase of the

KingFisher Villa by businessman and actor Sachiin Joshi for

over Rs 73 crore in 2017.

The minister said the brand Goa should come in the

agricultural sector as well. "Brand Goa has to come into the

agriculture sector as well."

The minister further said farming should become self-

sufficient not only in terms of output but also in terms of

quality.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)