Panaji, Mar 8 (PTI): The local variety of vegetables in Goa are fighting the invasion of veggies imported from neighbouring Karnataka with the help of a scheme designed by the state government to encourage horticulture.

The state authorities, knowing well about increasing dependence on vegetables from Karnataka, have now decided to encourage local farmers to produce vegetables, for which they will be provided seeds, money and marketing facility.

State government-run Goa State Horticulture Corporation Limited (GSHCL) have begun handing over seeds to farmers and buying farm produce back through its collection centres spread across all the talukas.

From its modest beginning, now 1,700 farmers have joined this attempt to provide locally produced vegetables for the consumers in the state, Orland Rodrigues, Managing Director, GSHCL told PTI today.

The Corporation has been providing seeds and also money to farmers even before they sow it, he said adding that e-farmers have to give his produce to outlets of the corporation.
"We expect them to produce vegetables on commercial lines," he added.

The Corporation later sells the produce through its chain of 500-odd outlets.

"The farmer has to inform three days in advance that he will be giving vegetables at the collection centres. The variety of vegetables like knol khol, long beans, palak, red-amarantus, clusterbeans, bottle gourd, chilly, brinjal, drum stick, ginger and raddish are produced by the farmers.

"Once we know that we have so much of vegetables available locally, we reduce our dependence on commodities from Karnataka," he said.