 |
AGRICULTURE AND IRRIGATION
|
 |
FIBRES
Fibres occupied an area of 2,935 acres in 1965-66, of which 1,592 acres were in Bhandara tahsil. Sann-hemp and Deccan-hemp (ambadi) were the two main crops comprising the class of fibres.
A little over 68.48 per cent of the area under fibres was occupied by sann-hemp in 1965-66. Table No. 15 gives tahsilwise area under fibres in Bhandara district during 1961-62, 1965-66, 1969-70 and 1971-72. Table No. 16 gives tahsilwise outturn of fibres in Bhandara district from 1961-62 to 1965-66: —
TABLE No. 15
AREA UNDER FIBRES (TAHSILWISE) IN BHANDARA DISTRICT DURING 1961-62, 1965-66, 1969-70 AND 1971-72. (In acres)
|
Tahsil |
Year |
Cotton |
Sann-Hemp |
Ambadi (Deccan-hemp) |
Total Fibres |
|
(1) |
(2) |
(3) |
(4) |
(5) |
(6) |
|
Bhandara |
1961-62 |
17 |
614 |
13 |
644 |
|
1965-66 |
-- |
1,519 |
73 |
1,592 |
|
1969-70 |
-- |
390* |
-- |
390 |
|
1971-72 |
1 |
303 |
-- |
309 |
|
Gondia |
1961-62 |
-- |
193 |
646 |
839 |
|
1965-66 |
-- |
284 |
736 |
1,020 |
|
1969-70 |
8 |
343* |
-- |
351 |
|
1971-72 |
-- |
372 |
-- |
372 |
|
Sakoli |
1961-62 |
-- |
188 |
75 |
263 |
|
1965-66 |
-- |
207 |
116 |
323 |
|
1969-70 |
1 |
158* |
-- |
159 |
|
1971-72 |
17 |
135 |
-- |
135 |
|
District—Total |
1961-62 |
-- |
995 |
734 |
1,746 |
|
1965-66 |
-- |
2,010 |
925 |
2,939 |
|
1969-70 |
9 |
891* |
-- |
900 |
|
1971-72 |
1 |
815 |
-- |
816 |
*Note.—Figures for the years 1969-70 and 1971-72 are given in hectares.
*Other fibres.
TABLE No. 16
OUT-TURN OF FIBRES (TAHSILWISE) IN BHANDARA DISTRICT FROM 1961-62 TO 1965-66. (In tons)
|
Tahsil |
Year |
Cotton |
Sann-Hemp |
Ambadi (Deccan- Hemp) |
Total outturn |
|
(1) |
(2) |
(3) |
(4) |
(5) |
(6) |
|
Bhandara |
1961-62 |
-- |
11 |
1 |
12 |
|
1965-66 |
-- |
170 |
9 |
179 |
|
Gondia |
1961-62 |
-- |
32 |
72 |
104 |
|
1965-66 |
-- |
38 |
96 |
134 |
|
Sakoli |
1961-62 |
-- |
30 |
8 |
38 |
|
1965-66 |
-- |
37 |
15 |
52 |
|
District Total |
1961-62 |
-- |
73 |
81 |
154 |
|
1965-66 |
-- |
245 |
120 |
365 |
Sann-hemp.— Sann-hemp or Bombay-hemp (tag) occupied an area of 2,010 acres in 1965-66. Its leaves provide excellent green manure and are used as fodder. When the crop is to be grown for green manuring, it is sown thick in the second fortnight of June. It has quick growth. After about two or three months the crop is levelled by a heavy log roller and covered with soil by ploughing the field. When the crop is sown for production of fibre it is harvested after about four to five months. The stalks are cut close to the ground, kept in the sun and when the leaves are stripped off they are tied in bundles and placed in water for rotting. After about ten days the stalks are taken out. The fibre is peeled off and is beaten on stone. The bark is then washed in water.
Deccan-hemp.— Deccan-hemp (ambadi) is a very minor fibre crop grown in the district. It occupied an area of 925 acres in 1965-66, of which Gondia tahsil accounted for 736 acres. It is used both as an oil-seed and as a fibre crop. It is grown more or less as a mixed crop with cereals and pulses. The tender leaves are used as a vegetable. Its bark yields valuable fibre.
The total area under fibres which stood at 1,187.753 hectares in 1965-66 declined to 816 hectares in 1971-72. Of the total area under fibres, Gondia accounted for 372 hectares, Bhandara for 309 hectares and Sakoli for 135 hectares.
|
