Sahakari Spice Farm is situated amidst lush green surroundings at Curti. The taluka of Ponda in which it is located, is extremely popular amongst tourists for its rich cultural heritage and magnificently designed places of worship. This Spice farm adds to the variety of tourist destinations that Ponda has to boast of. A place for relaxation under the dense forest cover, an aroma of a variety of genuine spices coming from the trees grown around the farm, lots of knowledge, guidance on the tupe of species and treatment for various diseases, sumptuous lunch in traditional Goan style, and other modes of entertainment, all this and more to add to a cherish able day at Sahakari Spice Farm. As you move deeper into this site, you will discover the health, wealth and wonders of nature that this farm is endowed with. The farm was made up of 4.5 Ha of cultivated and 55Ha of barren land in the year 1979/80. Since then the farm has been developed using the new scientific techniques in conjunction with the age-old concepts of mixed crop farming. New and scientific techniques like the use of Sprinklers for irrigation are used in the farm to recreate the climatic conditions prevailing in the rainy season. These scientific methods coupled with older water harvesting methods help in water conservation to a very large extent.
This process of planting more trees helps in preventing the erosion of land as well as in generating green foliage used in preparing compost. The farm which was earlier providing employment opportunities of 2120 man days and an annual turnover of Rs. 3,50,000/- is now providing 6000 man days of employment and has a turnover of Rs. 56,00,000/- only in farm sector.
The farm is used to dissipate knowledge about the different spices and their medicinal values to the foreign as well as local visitors who since time immemorial are visiting India in search of spices and trading with Indians in different varieties of spices. The visitors are given both theoretical as well as practical information about the different uses of spices both in normal diet as well as in the treatment of common diseases. The farm also serves as a nodal place for the farmers and students to carry out different experiments and research for which no fees are charged.
Our Spice Farm is also nominated for the prestigious Annual DRV International Environmental award 2005. This International environmental prize “Tourism and Environment” of the association of German travel agents and tours operators is awarded to conservation projects which are closely related to Tourism.
Our Restaurant at the farm is of unique nature set up amongst well maintained vegetation, the Restaurant has been designed in a very rustic manner, wherein the guests are able to relax in a very natural atmosphere, typical to what the farm has to offer. Roof of Coconut Palms, Benches made of wooden planks, serving bowls of coconut shells, the fragrance of rich spices, the chirping of birds, all this and more constitute this calm and relaxing environment. There is ample of seating place in the restaurant and a provision for privacy is also made in the form of separate huts. Lunch in the restaurant is served in earthen pots and is eaten in plates specially made of Banana leaves.Besides the guided tour in the Spice plantation, Sahakari Spice Farm offers its guests other modes of entertainment, some of which they can opt to avail of.
FOLK DANCES | SWINGING IN BETWEEN TREES | ELEPHANT WASHING AND RIDING
