Panaji: Goa achieved seasonal self-sufficiency in several vegetable crops, including okra (bendi), cluster beans, bottle gourd and brinjal, and is now supplying surplus produce to neighbouring Karnataka markets, according to the directorate of agriculture and the Goa State Horticulture Corporation Limited (GSHCL). The corporation estimates that around 4 to 5 tonnes of vegetables are being sent to Belagavi every alternate day, though volumes vary depending on daily arrivals and market demand.Director of agriculture Sandeep Fol Desai said that during specific cultivation seasons, local production has risen enough not only to meet domestic demand but also to generate surplus stock for supply outside the state. “These vegetables grow very well in Goa under suitable conditions,” he told TOI.According to the GSHCL, vegetable production this year has increased compared to last year, particularly in crops such as okra (bhendi) and cluster beans.GSHCL managing director Chandrahas Desai said that excess vegetables are first supplied through the corporation’s Goa Bagayatdar outlets and wholesale markets within the state before being sent outside Goa.“The supply of vegetables to neighbouring markets is expected to continue until the onset of the monsoon,” Desai said.
