AGRICULTURE AND IRRIGATION

CONDIMENTS AND SPICES

Condiments and spices are the important cash crops of the district and they include chillis (mirchi), coriander (khothimbir), garlic (lasun), methi, turmeric etc. The area under them in 1961-62 accounted for 2,897 hectares as against 2,745 hectares during 1971-72. The following table shows the tahsil-wise area under condiments and spices in the district for the years 1961-62. 1965-66, 1970-71 and 1971-72.

TABLE No. 18

Area under Condiments and Spices in Akola District

(Area in hectares)

Chillis : Chilli is grown as an irrigated as well as a rainfed crop. In 1961-62 an area of 2,702 hectares was under the cultivation of chillis which accounted for about 93 per cent of the total area under condiments and spices. In 1971-72 out of the total area of 2,745 hectares under condiments and spices, chillis alone accounted for 2,564 hectares.

The rainfed crop of chillis is taken in the deep fertile, well drained and black cotton soils. It also thrives well in sandy loams. In case of rainfed crop 10 cart loads of farm yard manure are given per acre as against 20 cart loads in case of irrigated crop. In case of kharif crop the seeds are sown in the second week of May and seedlings are transplanted within four to five weeks i.e., in June. The seeds are sown in the month of October and transplanted in November in case of rabi crop. The crop is taken as a pure or as a mixed crop with coriander, methi etc. The crop becomes ready within a period of 100 to 110 days. The rainfed crop is picked 3 to 5 times whereas irrigated chillis are picked. 7 to 10 times. Red chillis are plucked and dried in the months of December and January. The yield per acre of rainfed chillis comes to about 700 to 800 lbs. of dry chillis. The rate of yield is higher in case of irrigated crop and amounts to 1,200 to 1,600 lbs. of dry chillis or 7,000 to 10,000 lbs. of green chillis.

Coriander : Coriander is grown for its seed as well as for the green vegetables. It covered an area of 61 hectares in 1961-62 out of a total area of 2,897 hectares under condiments and spices. In the year 1965-66 the area under coriander was 29 hectares. It is grown in all seasons. The crop is harvested by uprooting the plants after a period of about 3 months from sowing.

Garlic : It is grown on a very small scale in the district and covered an area of 43 hectares in 1961-62 and 38 hectares in the year 1965-66. It is planted on black soils in October-November and harvested in January. The bulbs are uprooted by hand or with light pick-axe.

Turmeric: It is mainly an irrigated crop and requires intensive ploughing and manuring. The rhizomes are planted in June and harvested in January-February. The crop covered an area of 48 hectares in 1961-62 and 67 hectares in 1965-66 and is mostly grown in the Washim tahsil of the district.

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