AGRICULTURE AND IRRIGATION

CEREALS

The following tables show acreage, outturn and prices of different food and non-food crops (during 1950-56), and area under cereals in 1955-56 in Kolhapur district:-

 TABLE No. 16.
ACREAGE, OUTTURN AND PRICES OF DIFFERENT FOOD AND NON-FOOD CROPS IN KOLHAPUR DISTRICT, DURING 1950-56.

Note.-* Price of one maund of paddy.
** Price of raw-gul.
 @ Sugarcane (gul).

TABLE No. 16-contd.

TABLE No. 17.
AREA IN ACRES UNDER CEREALS IN EACH TALUKA OF KOLHAPUR DISTRICT IN 1955-56.

continued.

Table No. 16 reveals that the acreage as well as production under different food and non-food crops did not show any marked change during 1950-56. The significant fact worth noticing is the variations and sometimes an upward trend in prices prevailing for different commodities, which, however, were not due to operation of local factors of special importance. But this could be explained as a phenomenon in keeping with the general upward trend in the price level, all over the country. The other aspect worth noticing is the gradual increase in acreage under non-food crops from 3,02,100 acres in 1950-51 to 3,60,200 in 1955-56. Among the group, however, the increase in acreage seemed to be mostly confined to acreage under " fodder " and under " sugars "-an important commercial crop of the district.

Bhat.

Bhat (rice) is the staple food crop of the district, especially of talukas in the western zone, though it is also grown in other talukas. It occupied about 40 per cent, of the area under cereal crops in the district in 1955-56. The six talukas of Shahuwadi, Karvir, Radhanagari, Panhala, Bhudargad and Kagal occupied, amongst themselves, more than 70 per cent, of the area under rice.

Rice is sown in June and harvested from about the middle of September onwards depending upon weather. The variety is mid late or late one. Its average yield per acre is about 1,500 lbs. Several varieties of rice are grown in Kolhapur district. The black (kale) jirga rice of Ajra is a well known scented variety. Besides this, there are other good varieties of sakharsal and kolamba which are generally grown in good soils and known for good yield per acre. There are other inferior varieties too, namely aviste, havale-mothe, patni, kale-patani, kale-mohan, masad, dodaka, tamsal, mothe-pandhare and take. In the talukas other than those of Shahuwadi, Karvir, Radhanagari and Panhala, paddy seed is sown by a six coultered drill with a distance of six inches in between. The land is ploughed twice, harrowed and manured, if possible, by farm yard manure. This is done in March-April. By May the land is well packed by working with a phali. After getting sufficient rain for sowing, the paddy seed is sown direct by the seed drill and covered by a wooden harrow. The seed is, at times, sown in the third week of May in anticipation of rains in the dry lands. The process is known as dhul-waf-pera. An improved method of sowing known as the dibbling method is now in practice in these lands. Instead sowing by drill after preparing the land, the fields are marked by a marker (yadtang or tikatane) between two lines vertical and horizontal, with a distance of about 10" in between. At each cross, about 5 to 6 seeds of paddy are sown by making a hole and covering it. This method, though it requires more labour for dibbling, saves seed as well as labour on the subsequent operations and gives better yield than drilled paddy.

The system of transplanting is followed only in western and heavy rainfall areas, namely, western parts of Shahuwadi, Panhala, Bavada, Radhanagari, Bhudargad and Ajra talukas. In March-April a plot is chosen for the seed-beds, preferably on higher ground in the field itself. On the seed-beds are spread layers (called rab) of dry leaves from forests and grass which are burnt. The seed is then broadcast on the ashes and covered by the soil. This is done after a fair shower of monsoon, generally in the month of June. In July, the seedlings are ready for transplanting when they are five weeks old and grow six inches in height. They are taken from the seed bed, tied in bundles and. after washing them in running water, taken to fields for being planted by hand.

The method of transplanting is expensive and laborious. Rice fields, called waffas, are generally formed by embanking all the four sides by earthern bunds to hold sufficient water for transplanting and for growth of the crop. The supply of water is controlled by these bunds. The best rice soil is the one which retains moisture for a longer time with fair clay structure. The yield of rice depends upon constant supply of fresh water and of manures at the proper time. After transplanting is over, water is kept standing in the field upto a certain level till the crop ripens. The crop is ready for harvest from the middle of October onwards. The crop is cut by sickle (khurpa) and the stalks, with earheads, are stacked near the threshing floor.

In this region sann-hemp is used for green manuring in certain parts before transplanting in this way. The sann-seed is broadcast after the first monsoon shower and the land is ploughed. After about a month, when the land is being prepared, the sann-crop is buried underground. The sann-crop at this stage being very tender gets decomposed in about a week's time after it is buried. The land is puddled and only then transplanting of seedlings is completed.

Recently, some improved varieties (early, midlate and late ones) of rice have been introduced in the district. They are Patni No. 6, D-6-2-2, Panvel-61, Antarsal-90, Antarsal-67, Mugad 81, Mugad 161, Warangal-487 and Yelikirisal-4.

Japanese Method of Paddy Cultivation.

Recently, Japanese method of paddy cultivation has attracted attention of the farmers as a result of the propaganda carried on by the Department of Agriculture to popularise this method in Maharashtra State. Kolhapur District, being a major paddy producing area, has been considered suitable for the introduction of this method. Farm demonstrations and publicity programmes (posters, films, brochures, etc.) are organised to popularise it. Results of the demonstration plots have shown that, on an average, the cost of cultivation by Japanese Method comes to Rs. 230 per acre as against Rs. 150 by the, local method while the average yield per acre under these two methods is about 30 maunds and 15 to 20 maunds respectively. In Kolhapur district more than 11,000 acres (till middle of 1957) of land have been brought under this method of cultivation.

The main features of this method are: -

(i) raised nurseries for seedlings;

(ii) low seed rate for nurseries;

(iii) heavy manuring of the crop both in nurseries and in the field;

(iv) transplantation of fewer seedlings per bunch;

(v) transplanting in rows; and

(vi) adequate interculturing and proper weeding.

It is also necessary that the soil is fairly good and supply of water assured.

This method has been introduced in the transplanting tract as well as in the drilled paddy tract with a slight modification of adopting dibbling of seeds at a fixed distance. This dibbling method is very popular with the cultivators and has considerably helped in increasing output of paddy per acre.

With a view to accelerating the adoption of this method by farmers, a new scheme called Paddy " Pilot Scheme " has been introduced (1957) in Karvir, Panhala areas of this district. Under this scheme additional 10,000 acres of land (divided into suitable blocks) are to be brought under this method. Co-operative societies are to provide the additional finance required by the cultivator, even to a non-credit worthy cultivator who becomes a member of the society and undertakes to repay the loan on harvesting the crop. Fertilisers are also made easily available. Special staff is appointed for demonstrating the method in each village of the block. It is hoped this scheme will succeed in bringing sufficient acreage under this method.

Rice is eaten daily by almost all people in the district. It is taken usually in boiled form. Parched paddy in the form of lahi and kurmura is consumed on a large scale. It is also used for making poha large quantities of which are sent outside.

Jvari.

Jvari (jowar) seems to have yielded place to rice as the most widely grown cereal in Kolhapur. Even then, the crop stands second amongst all the crops grown in the district and occupied an area of 1,47,887 acres in the year 1955-56. The crop is grown all over the district except in Bavada mahal. The two talukas of Hatkanangle and Shirol together occupied nearly fifty per cent, of the area under jowar. These talukas have been in the forefront in so far as improvements in the methods of cultivation of this crop are concerned. The method of drilling is being fast replaced by the dibbling method. It has resulted in increasing the yield of jowar to the tune of fifty per cent, or more over its normal yield.

Jowar seems to be the staple food crop of the eastern subdivisions, cultivation of the crop being concentrated in the above two talukas. The area under the crop in the talukas of the western zone viz., Ajra, Bavada, Bhudargad, Panhala, Radhanagari and Shahuwadi hardly exceeds 14 per cent, of the total area under this crop. There are numerous varieties of jowar,, some of which belong to the early and others to the late harvest. The early varieties are sown on light types of soil, mainly for fodder purposes and, if the season is favorable, grain is also taken. The late varieties are sown in good deep black soils or in irrigated lands; their yield is abundant though the grain is rough and unpalatable to animals. The main early varieties grown are araged and kolbondi. This latter variety is also sown for fodder purposes in April under irrigation. It is ready for harvest in June-July. This crop is called hundi. The main variety grown is, however, gid-gap, which has two further varieties namely jambul bondi (purple husked) and tambad bondi (red husked). Sowing of kharif jowar is done in the months of June and July; harvesting is done in November onwards. The stem of the gid-gap is about 6 to 7 feet high with large packed ear-heads. If irrigation facilities are available, this crop is sometimes irrigated, especially at the time of grain formation: The average yield of grain per acre is about 800 lbs.

Rabi jowar is generally sown in September-October and harvested in the months of February-March. The area under rabi jowar is rather insignificant. The denuded areas along the banks of the rivers are best suited to this crop which yields about 300 lbs per acre. There are two varieties grown viz., " gund" (dagadi) or with compact ear-head and the other with loose ear-head, both of which mature with a difference of about 15 days. The gund variety needs good soil and sufficient moisture; the seed rate for both these varieties is about 10 lbs. per acre. The Department of Agriculture has introduced an improved variety of rabi jowar in the district, namely, the Maldandi-35-1; its ear-head is loose but a big one. It matures earlier by about a fortnight than the local variety. The fodder of shalu jowar is of better quality than that of kharif jowar.

Jowar is used for preparing bread. Next to rice it is a staple food "of the people in the district A special variety of jowar is known as kavali with black gloom and its small grain is parched and eaten.

Bajri.

It will be evident from the table that bajri (spiked millet) is not an important crop of the district. Most of the area under this crop is to be found in the talukas of Shirol and Hatkanangle.

Only one kind of bajri is grown. It is a finer grain than jowar and grows on light types of soil. No special preparatory tillage is given. It is usually sown in July and harvested in October. After sowing, interculturing is carried out by means of a hoe. Fair rains in August are favourable for its growth. Occasionally the crop is manured with farm-yard manure. No irrigation is given. It grows well when the climate is moderately dry.

Bajri is usually taken as a mixed crop and sown with pulses and also with kharif jowar in parts of Hatkanangle and Shirol talukas. The yield of bajri in the district is poor, the normal yield being about 330 lbs. per acre. It is sparingly used as food. Bajri stalks are a very poor cattle feed. However, they are often mixed with jowar kadbi and used as fodder.

Gahu.

Gahu (wheat) is taken as a cold weather (rabi) crop in the district. It is grown all over the district though in the talukas of Bavada, Ajra and Bhudargad the acreage is negligible. The talukas of Hatkanangle, Shirol and Shahuwadi taken together occupied more than 60 per cent, of the area.

Wheat is sown in the month of November-December and harvested in February-March. It is mainly an irrigated crop and is grown as a second crop after paddy. Sowing is done by dibbling, by maintaining a uniform distance of three or four inches in between. Only one variety (khapli) occupies most of the area under the crop in the district. It requires about 10-12 irrigations at intervals of eight or ten days and responds quite well to doses of sulphate of ammonia or manure mixtures. The average yield of wheat in the district varies from 600 lbs. to 1,200 lbs. Wheat is generally ground into flour for preparing bread.

Recently, improved varieties of wheat have been introduced in the district, viz., Niphad-4 and Kenphad-4.

Maka.

Maka (maize) is not a staple food of the district. Out of the total area of 10,290 acres of land under this crop in 1955-56, the talukas of Shahuwadi, Panhala and Shirol taken together had more than 50 per cent, of the acreage under this crop. This crop is grown throughout the year under irrigation. It is taken as a mixed crop with turmeric crop in Hatkanangle and Shirol talukas and with sugarcane all over the district. In the western zone of the district, this crop is taken specially for its grain. The green cobs (batas) are usually parched or boiled and eaten. They are exported from the district on a large scale. The yield of grain per acre is about 1,100 lbs. The grain i$ used for making bread after turning it into flour.

Nagli.

Nagli or nachani (ragi) occupied third place among, the cereal crops in the district in 1955-56, Though it is grown in all the talukas, Ajra Mahal had the largest acreage under this crop followed by Bhudargad, Gadhinglaj, Radhanagari and Shahuwadi talukas which receive heavy rainfall. Thus nagli is purely a rain-fed crop and is grown on the hill slopes of these talukas. The plant of nagli is very hardy and grows well in poor uplands which are too shallow and steep and cannot be converted into terraced level plots required for paddy. Seedlings are raised on rabbed seed-beds on the hill slopes in the month of June. The land is prepared by ploughing or even hand digging after sufficient precipitation. When the seedlings are about four weeks old, they are transplanted in furrows opened by a light plough usually drawn by hand. Where the hill slopes are too steep for transplanting the whole area is burnt, prepared by hand tools, and nagli seed is then broadcast. It ripens in November. It responds very favourably to fish manuring. The normal yield per acre is about 600 lbs. When the crop is ready, ear-heads are sometimes taken off leaving the stalks. Nagli is the main food of poor people in the western zone of the district.

Rale.

Rale (Italian millet) is chiefly grown in the talukas of Kagal and Karvir where it occupies about 70 per cent, of the total area under this crop in the district, though it is grown in other talukas also except Bavada and Shahuwadi. It is grown on black soil as well as on slopy lands receiving sufficient rainfall. It is sown in June-July and harvested in October-November. The normal yield per acre comes to about 200 lbs. The grain is separated from husk by pounding and is cooked like boiled-rice for eating.

Vari.

Vari (varai) is a minor cereal grown in the district though the area reported under this crop in 1955-56 was fairly large. It is mainly grown in the talukas of Shahuwadi, Bavada, Radhanagari and Bhudargad usually on light soils and on hill slopes. The crop is sown in June-July and harvested in November. Treatments like irrigation and manuring are not given to this coop. The yield per acre is about 150 lbs. The grain is separated from the husk by pounding in a gharata and eaten only on fasting days, after boiling it like rice.

Sava.

Sava is another minor millet grown on large scale in the district covering an area of about 20,580 acres of land in 1955-56. The talukas of Ajra, Bhudargad and Gadhinglaj occupied nearly sixty per cent, of the area under the crop in the district. It is sown on lighter soils in June-July and is ready in November. The normal yield per acre is 150 lbs.

TOP