Panaji, Jun 25 (IANS): Ruing the pitiable condition of the state's agriculture sector, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday said that farmers in Goa are not even confident of earning as much as a government peon, by investing in agriculture.

While speaking at a workshop for the state government's agriculture officers here, Sawant also directed the officers to draw up short term and long term plans to encourage farmers to take up agriculture in the state in a big way, in order to wean off dependency on neighbouring states for agricultural produce.

"If agriculture does not provide a farmer with returns as much as a government peon, why will anyone start farming in the state... We have to ensure that farmers should earn at least as much as peons," Sawant said during the workshop.

Sawant also said, the importance of the state's agriculture sector had slipped in the ranking as compared to mining and tourism and was wallowing in neglect.

"Zonal agriculture officers should come up with short term and long term plans by which farmers can earn at least Rs 3 lakh a year. Agriculture officers should work as consultants with farmers and handhold them to ensure that their efforts are profitable," Sawant said.

The Chief Minister also said, the state spends Rs 20 crore every year on importing produce from the neighbouring state of Karnataka and creating a sense of self-sufficiency in terms of agricultural produce would not only help the state revenue, but would also aid farmers to earn livelihood.