The entries for the fresh fruit competition at the 4th annual KONKAN FRUIT FEST in Panaji were judged by an expert panel consisting of Mr. Sanjeev Kadkade[ Head of Dept, Institute of Hotel Management, Porvorim], Ms.Ana Dias e Camara and Mr. Olavio Fernandes, both members of BSG and officers of Goa Directorate of Agriculture. All three judges have long experience in judging fruit quality through organo-leptic tests. the test of the pudding is in the eating! One random fruit was picked up by the judges and tasted to arrive at the final conclusion among the fruits that had good appearance or visual characteristics.
The winners are: MANGOES: Malcurada/Mankurad mango 1. Carlos Figueiredo, Santerxeth-Aldona, 2. Balaji Naik, Bicholim, 3.Dattaram L.Shirodkar, Bicholim. Other Mangoes: 1 & 2 Balaji Naik, Bicholim 3. Shrihari Naik Kurade, Cuncolim PINEAPPLE 1.Shrihari Naik Kurade, Cuncolim,2.Mahesh Kankonkar, Carambolim,3. Satchit Kamat, Sanquelim JACK .Nirmala Pol Khandeparkar, Bordem-Bicholim SOUR SOP [Laxman phal] Sanjeev Mayekar, Bordem-Bicholim PUMELO[Toring] Lala Satarkar, Ponda CHICKOO 1.Carlos Figueiredo, Aldona, 2. Gurunath Naik, Bicholim GARCINIA[Birondam/Kokum] 1.Sakaram V. Kapdi, Bicholim, 2. Damodar Mashelkar, Bicholim and 3. Mahesh Kankonkar, Carambolim STAR FRUIT [ Carambola/Karmal] Gopal M. Parab, Bicholim JAVA PLUM [Jamun/Zamlam] Shrihari Naik Kurade, Cuncolim BANANA 1.Vishwanath Bhat Naik, Bicholim,2. Shalini Y,Thakur, Bicholim MUSK MELON 1.Rohidas Ganesh Satarkar, Ponda. Shrihari Naik Kurade and Carlos Figueiredo are regular competitors in the Konkan Fruit Fest and Mahesh Kankonkar is a life member and former student volunteer of the BSG. The exhibition will be inaugurated by Mr. Tony Rodrigues, Mayor of Panaji, at 10.30 A.M. on Friday 05 May, 2006 Between 11.30 A.M. and 3.00 P.M., entries will be accepted for competition in processed fruit products from juices and wines to cakes and pastries. The entries will be judged at 4.00 P.M. the same day by F & B experts with experience in the trade. On Saturday, 06 May, there will be a fun fruit eating competition for mangoes, papayas, watermelon and banana in quick succession between 4.00 P.M. and 5.30 P.M.. The pace setter is Mr. Suresh Naik of Vasco, a winner of the competition since he joined the fun. His last record is 2 kg. watermelon pulp[seeds and all] in 5 minutes at 'Green Mormugao' on 05 March, 2006. He just cannot win all the four fruit categories this time! Last year, many persons were disappointed that they could not taste, or even get a whiff of, the Kokum wine prepared under the guidance of a researcher at Goa University. Most people complained but some decided to change the situation. Dr. John Rodrigues of Chichinim, who was formerly doing "Product Development" for Hoechst [Hext] medicines now has four variants of Kokum wine in both ,Sec[dry] and demi-Sec [semi-dry], types. You can smell it, taste it and buy it to drink at home. Carlos Figueiredo of Aldona also has made kokum fruit wine for home consumption. May their tribe increase. In 2003, Lumina Lobo was the sole entrepreneur making sweet cashew wine [doce/douce]. Today she has competition from John Rodrigues and Luis of Saligao who also have cashew wine. She has added a demi-Sec to her list. So have the others. She has added Jamun wine to her list. so have the others. In the years to come we are likely to have a lot of sweet summer wine! Demi-Sec and Sec wines will follow because men will be men. Making wine with the end of summer fruits has a distinct advantage over spoiling the fruit. Shivani Arolkar of Kudal is going to be back with mangoes and more...juices and RTD[Ready To Drink] fruit juices for the hot summer afternoons. Bread and More joins the band with tarts, chats and pastries made of fruit. Juices, mocktails and possibly cocktails will follow. D'Souza Biotech's Frugurt [fruity yogourt]was a hit last summer at the KFF. It is back at the fest. So are the fresh fruit ice-creams from Sonam's Frosty. Sonam, samja karo. You have sampled the wares of Canancona, Panjim and Pilar Self-Help Groups [SHGs] since 2003. This year the first Federation of 55 SHGs under the name of Disha Rural Women's SHG Association of Anjuna is going to burst on the scene. On 25 April, Disha SHG Association had a mini-fair cum training session in waste management at Anjuna. The member SHGs had a turnover of about half a lakh rupees in the 4 hour event. Activities range from catering [through Rural Polytechnic scheme] to to beauticians to fashion designing. And you thought that SHGs only make pappads, laddoos and chakri? Dr.Ajit Shirodkar will be promoting scientific mango cultivation on his own and Kokum cultivation through the Western Ghats Kokum Foundation. He is a Euro GAPs [Good Agricultural Practices] certified Mango grower with an orchard and ripening chamber at Devgad, the home of the best Alphonso and Kesar mangoes. The ICAR-Goa Research Complex will promote new technologies. So will the University of Agricultural Sciences-Dharwad and the Konkan Krishi Vidyapeth's Regional Fruit Research Station-Vengurla. RFRS-Vengurla will also demonstrate equipment used for fruit processing. The seeds of change grow on Jatropha curcas, the bio-diesel plant. The Pilar Nature Farm will promote Jatropha for planting along the boundaries as bio- fence and on wasteland to revegetate them while earning good revenue through bio-diesel. Fossil fuel is not going to last forever. Jatropha is not recommended as an alternative to any crop, it is a good supplement in Goa conditions of climate, including labour availability and pilferage. Viva Goa Miguel _____________________________________________ Do not post admin requests to the list. Goanet mailing list (Goanet@goanet.org)