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More than 40 plant varieties grown in ancestral farm in Goa following Kaulgar farming practice
Family run 200 years old Savoi Plantation safeguards the nature and is home to more than 40 varieties of plants. Spread across 100 acres the farm is located in Savoi village, 25 kms from Panjim, Goa. Proud to be called as 7thgeneration farmers Mr. Sachin and Sudesh Shetya manage the farm. “Our ancestors had planted the saplings in the scientific way. We have mango, banana, pineapple, many Indian spices, areca nut, coconut, betel nut, jack fruit, cashew and many other herb variants. Many of the plants are growing as intercrops to one another. Hence all the crops in our farm grow based on symbiosis function that is interdependent on one another. We follow our ancestral ‘Kaulgar’ farming practice,” shares Mr. Sachin.
Kaulgar farming means the plantation is in valley where the land is not flat. The topography is high and low area of farming therefore the Savoi Plantation has trees and plants exclusively. It is not possible to do any mechanization in Kaulgar farming instead all the farming activities have to be done manually. Besides only natural farming inputs are used.
The dried leaves, twigs, foliage and decomposed living organisms nourish the soil. “It acts as green manure. And we compost kitchen and farm waste to prepare nutrient rich fertilizer through vermicompost. We used cow dung and urine in bulk quantity to make the farming inputs in-house. We also make different types of extracts using neem, butter milk, jaggery and gram flour etc to keep the farm protected but it is used occasionally as the environment ensures healthy growth of the trees and plants,” he asserts. Cow dung and urine are sourced from the dairy farmers residing in Savoi village. “It is not possible for us to have our own dairy unit because our farm is not flat.”
Mr. Sudesh shares, “Our father and uncles were focused on pineapple, mango, nutmeg and betel nut. But now we are concentrating on all the crops equally in a way that we keep getting the seasonal crop produce every month. Also the spices like turmeric and ginger in the farm act like a medicine for fruit trees safeguarding it from fungus and other plant diseases.” At the plantation when the banana sucker is planted then at a distance of 6-7 inches turmeric and ginger is planted as preventive measure from the pest attack.
All the fruit trees in the plantation are very old. Grafting requires immense patience then a high quantity and quality rich fruit producing tree is developed. “When the seed is sown in the soil it takes 5-6 years to come to certain height then the grafting is done. Hence it is long process,” says Mr. Sudesh. In this way grafts are developed meticulously at the plantation. Consequently fruit trees in the farm are 30 meter high and yield extremely sweet and big size fruits.
Speaking of the irrigation Mr. Sachin says, “We do not have any modern irrigation facilities as the trees in the farm are more than 100 years old. Hence its roots have gone 50 meter down in the soil. When it rains the water penetrates underground and recharges the water tables naturally. Therefore little manual irrigation is sufficient in the farm.” Further since the beginning absolutely no chemical farming inputs are used at the farm.
Popular and in-demand spices grown here are cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, turmeric, ginger, basil, nutmeg and pepper. All the farm produce is sold to the Farmer Society at Savoi. ‘We have a committee who fixes the product prices. We do not have the certification hence we do not get any premium prices on our crops,” highlights Mr. Sudesh. Some percentage of crops is also shared with labour families residing in the plantation.
Speaking of challenges Shetya brothers say, “Sticking to the principles is not easy. To generate revenues only from agriculture is not feasible therefore we have added agri tourism venture to our operations. The guests are introduced to rustic yet comfortable village life. They are served our authentic Saraswat cuisine.”
In time to come Shetya brothers wants to create awareness on farming amongst the youth. “Presently we receive high-school children from all the villages and towns of Goa but we also want urban youth and college graduates to visit our farm. Children are completely unaware about how food is grown. If we can drive youth from cities, town and villages towards agriculture then it shall be creditable in true sense,” duo concludes.
Contact details:
Savoi Plantation
50, Savoi Village, Marcel Ponda Road, Ponda, Goa, 403401
Phone: (091832) 2340272/9423888899/9823340272/9637838389
Email: savaiplantation@rediffmail.com
Web: http://savoiplantations.com/
Family run 200 years old Savoi Plantation safeguards the nature and is home to more than 40 varieties of plants. Spread across 100 acres the farm is located in Savoi village, 25 kms from Panjim, Goa. Proud to be called as 7thgeneration farmers Mr. Sachin and Sudesh Shetya manage the farm. “Our ancestors had planted the saplings in the scientific way. We have mango, banana, pineapple, many Indian spices, areca nut, coconut, betel nut, jack fruit, cashew and many other herb variants. Many of the plants are growing as intercrops to one another. Hence all the crops in our farm grow based on symbiosis function that is interdependent on one another. We follow our ancestral ‘Kaulgar’ farming practice,” shares Mr. Sachin.
Kaulgar farming means the plantation is in valley where the land is not flat. The topography is high and low area of farming therefore the Savoi Plantation has trees and plants exclusively. It is not possible to do any mechanization in Kaulgar farming instead all the farming activities have to be done manually. Besides only natural farming inputs are used.
The dried leaves, twigs, foliage and decomposed living organisms nourish the soil. “It acts as green manure. And we compost kitchen and farm waste to prepare nutrient rich fertilizer through vermicompost. We used cow dung and urine in bulk quantity to make the farming inputs in-house. We also make different types of extracts using neem, butter milk, jaggery and gram flour etc to keep the farm protected but it is used occasionally as the environment ensures healthy growth of the trees and plants,” he asserts. Cow dung and urine are sourced from the dairy farmers residing in Savoi village. “It is not possible for us to have our own dairy unit because our farm is not flat.”
Mr. Sudesh shares, “Our father and uncles were focused on pineapple, mango, nutmeg and betel nut. But now we are concentrating on all the crops equally in a way that we keep getting the seasonal crop produce every month. Also the spices like turmeric and ginger in the farm act like a medicine for fruit trees safeguarding it from fungus and other plant diseases.” At the plantation when the banana sucker is planted then at a distance of 6-7 inches turmeric and ginger is planted as preventive measure from the pest attack.
All the fruit trees in the plantation are very old. Grafting requires immense patience then a high quantity and quality rich fruit producing tree is developed. “When the seed is sown in the soil it takes 5-6 years to come to certain height then the grafting is done. Hence it is long process,” says Mr. Sudesh. In this way grafts are developed meticulously at the plantation. Consequently fruit trees in the farm are 30 meter high and yield extremely sweet and big size fruits.
Speaking of the irrigation Mr. Sachin says, “We do not have any modern irrigation facilities as the trees in the farm are more than 100 years old. Hence its roots have gone 50 meter down in the soil. When it rains the water penetrates underground and recharges the water tables naturally. Therefore little manual irrigation is sufficient in the farm.” Further since the beginning absolutely no chemical farming inputs are used at the farm.
Popular and in-demand spices grown here are cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, turmeric, ginger, basil, nutmeg and pepper. All the farm produce is sold to the Farmer Society at Savoi. ‘We have a committee who fixes the product prices. We do not have the certification hence we do not get any premium prices on our crops,” highlights Mr. Sudesh. Some percentage of crops is also shared with labour families residing in the plantation.
Speaking of challenges Shetya brothers say, “Sticking to the principles is not easy. To generate revenues only from agriculture is not feasible therefore we have added agri tourism venture to our operations. The guests are introduced to rustic yet comfortable village life. They are served our authentic Saraswat cuisine.”
In time to come Shetya brothers wants to create awareness on farming amongst the youth. “Presently we receive high-school children from all the villages and towns of Goa but we also want urban youth and college graduates to visit our farm. Children are completely unaware about how food is grown. If we can drive youth from cities, town and villages towards agriculture then it shall be creditable in true sense,” duo concludes.
Contact details:
Savoi Plantation
50, Savoi Village, Marcel Ponda Road, Ponda, Goa, 403401
Phone: (091832) 2340272/9423888899/9823340272/9637838389
Email: savaiplantation@rediffmail.com
Web: http://savoiplantations.com/