Panaji, Jun 16 (PTI) The timely arrival of rains has brought respite for Goan farmers, who have begun ploughing the paddy fields covering about 30,000 hectares of area across the coastal state.

The rains hit the state in the first week of June, three days before its projected arrival.

Agriculture department officials said the monsoon has facilitated sowing of pulses, paddy, planting of coconut saplings, chillies, brinjals and other variety of crops.

State Agriculture department has forecasted good crop this year as several farmers are going in for mechanisation and also irrigation would not be an issue for them.

The state offers subsidy up to 75 per cent to buy mechanisation gadgets required for the farming.

The talukas of Pernem, Quepem, Sanguem, Sattari, Bicholim and Bardez are predominantly rice bowls of the state, where large tract of lands are covered under paddy cultivation, a senior agriculture officer told PTI.