Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has said the Indo-Israel Centre of Excellence at Cortalim is set to play an important role in improving agricultural productivity and strengthening Goa’s farming sector.

Speaking about the centre after completing one year of operations, Sawant said technology and expertise shared by Israel would help Goan farmers access better-quality seedlings, improve crop yields and adopt modern farming practices.

He said around ₹12 crore has been invested jointly by the Centre and the Goa government in the initiative. The centre, he added, is aimed at providing farmers with access to improved agricultural techniques and quality planting material.

Sawant said the initiative could contribute towards making Goa more self-reliant in agriculture by improving production and reducing dependence on agricultural supplies from outside the state.

The Chief Minister also highlighted the importance of encouraging local cultivation, including through women’s self-help groups and the productive use of barren land.

He said fodder cultivation could provide SHG members with an additional source of income, with the potential to generate earnings running into lakhs of rupees.

Sawant further said expanding marigold cultivation could substantially increase farmers’ earnings during the Dussehra and Diwali season. The government has already distributed marigold seedlings worth around ₹12 lakh, he said.

Under the proposed Goa Fresh brand, the government also plans to introduce QR-based tracking to allow consumers to identify farmers and trace agricultural produce from the farm to the market.

Sawant said the system would help improve transparency and quality while promoting locally grown produce.

He also appealed to consumers to support local farmers by purchasing Goan-grown vegetables at fair prices rather than bargaining excessively with farmers.

On fisheries, Sawant appealed to fishermen to release egg-bearing female crabs back into the sea to help sustain crab populations. Fishermen, however, have long recognised the importance of breeding females, with many already following the practice of releasing them back into the water.