AGRICULTURE AND IRRIGATION

CEREALS

Table No. 14 shows taluka-wise acreage under cereals in Amravati district in 1958-59, 1959-60 and 1960-61.

TABLE No. 14

AREA UNDER CEREALS (TALUKA.WISK) IN AMRAVATI DISTRICT IN 1958.59, 1959.60 AND 1960.61.

(In hectares)

TABLE No. 14

AREA UNDER CEREALS (TALUKA.WISK) IN AMRAVATI DISTRICT IN 1958.59, 1959.60 AND 1960.61.

TABLE No. 14 -Cont.

Note.-Figures in brackets indicate area in acres.

*Also includes the acreage under maize, ragi, kodra, little millets, common millets, vari, sava, bhadli and such other minor cereals.

The net area sown in Amravati district amounted to 683192.475 hectares (16,86,895 acres) in 1960-61. Of this, cereals accounted for 244290.330 hectares (6,03,186 acres) or 36 per cent. The important cereals cultivated in the district comprise jowar, wheat, rice and bajra. Other cereal crops, such as, waragu, maize, ragi, barley, etc., are grown on a very small scale.

jowar.

Jowar (jvari), Indian millet, is the most widely grown crop in the district. It forms the staple food of the cultivators while the fodder known as kadbi serves as the best cattle fodder. It covered an area of 185101.605 hectares (4,57,041 acres) in 1960-61. Jowar is grown in all the six talukas of the district. However. Amravati and Chandur talukas together account for nearly 50 per cent 90673.830 hectares (2,23,886 acres) of the area under jovvar. Melghat being the forest area, jowar occupied only 8354.745 hectares (20,629 acres) of land. Jowar is grown practically on all the soils in the district. It is mostly grown in the kharif season. The seed is sown in the month of July and the crop is harvested in the months of December and January. Generally, it is grown after cotton and derives benefit from manures applied to the previous crop. Hence, very often it does not require special manuring. If found necessary, five to ten cart loads of farm-yard manure is applied. Seed is drilled by means of tiffan. About six to eight lbs. of seed is required per acre.

The improved variety of jowar, viz., Saoner is cultivated in the district. Ganeri, a local variety, is also in vogue. The Agricultural Department is introducing many improved selections like N.J. 156, V.J. 136, and Ramkel in the district.

Wheat.

Wheat (gahu) is the second important cereal crop in the district which covered an area of 42211.125 hectares (1,04,225 acres) in 1960-61. Wheat is chiefly grown in Amravati and Daryapur talukas which together accounted for 29464.963 hectares (72.753 acres) or nearly 70 per cent of the total acreage under wheat. It was grown on a smaller scale in Achalpur, Chandur, Morshi and Melghat talukas. Wheat is produced as a cold weather crop and is sown when the October rains are completely over. It is generally grown on heavy and medium soils as an irrigated as well as an unirrigated crop. When wheat is to be produced land is generally kept fallow during kharif season and is prepared by a number of ploughings. It is also grown as a second crop immediately after groundnut. Wheat is drilled with a kathani, tiffan or a duse. About 10.120 kgs. to 21.180 kgs. (40 to 60 lbs.) of seed is required for sowing an acre of land. Three to four irrigations are given to the crop. Occasionally, safflower is sown along the borders of the wheat crop, just to protect the main crop. Wheat generally requires three or four months to ripen and is harvested in the months of February or March.

Since, the introduction of the "scheme for distribution and multiplication of sann seed for green manuring purposes ", many cultivators have taken to green manuring. The acreage under irrigated wheat crop amounted to 505.845 (1,249 acres) in 1960-61 as against 41705.280 hectares (1,02,976 acres) under nonirrigated crop. Irrigation is mainly available from wells.

The chief varieties grown in the district are vijay, bansi and bansipalli. The Department of Agriculture has introduced Hy 65 wheat variety under the scheme for " Pilot Wheat Seed Scheme ". Hy 65 wheat variety is a rust resistant variety which yields higher when grown under irrigation. The yield of unirrigated crop is low. Vijay variety fetches a better price than Hy 65 variety.

Rice.

Paddy (Dhan) as a cereal crop comes next to the wheat crop. It occupied an area of 7191.585 hectares (17,757 acres) of land in the district in 1960-61. Melghat was the only taluka growing paddy on substantial scale and accounted for 5305.500 hectares (13,100 acres) or about 74 per cent of the total acreage under paddy in 1960-61. Acreage under paddy in Amravati and Chandur talukas in the same year was about 2000 each, while that in Achalpur, Morshi and Daryapur talukas was negligible. Rice requires about 50" to 60" of rainfall. Only Melghat taluka received the required rainfall during the year. The climatic conditions and rainfall of that taluka are suitable for rice cultivation.

The paddy is drilled in the fields in July just like other crops and generally. the low-lying lands are put under rice cultivation. This crop is solely a rainfed crop and no water from the pond or well is given.

Generally, coarse and early maturing varieties of paddy are grown in the district. The Agricultural Department has introduced improved varieties like Nasik 27, Nasik 22 in the district. These are early varieties which can be drilled. Paddy is harvested in the month of October with the result that second crop of gram or any other crop can be taken on the same land.

Bajri.

Bajri, spiked millet, occupied an area of 5776.920 hectares (14,264 acres) in the district in 1960-61. Amravati, Chandur and Morshi are the main bajri growing talukas which together accounted for 5129.325 hectares (12.665 acres) or 89 per cent of total acreage under bajri. Next to jowar and wheat, bajri is the staple food of the poor. Bajri straw is also used as fodder.

Generally, it is grown on lighter soils and requires less water and plenty of sunshine. It is sown in July along with jowar and is harvested in the month of November-December.

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