AGRICULTURE AND IRRIGATION

AGRICULTURAL SEASONS

Kharif and rabi are the main agricultural seasons in Bhandara district. However, the district on an average has more area under kharif than under rabi crops. Only Bhandara tahsil is an exception where rabi crops predominate. The kharif season commences from June, i.e., from the Mrug Nakshatra and continues up to the end of November. Only in case of paddy the kharif season starts from May-June and continues up to November-December. The south-west monsoon which starts from June is mainly useful for pre-sowing preparatory tillage of the soil. The regular south-west rains set in by the fourth week of June. The sowing operations start with these rains and last for over 10 days. Farmers in the district start sowing operations with the onset of the monsoon. Rice which is mainly grown throughout the district is drilled in the fields by the end of June. Rice and tur are the main crops grown in kharif season in the district.

The rabi season commences from the middle of October. Only in case of rice, the crop season starts from July. The major rabi crops in the district are wheat, rabi jowar, gram, lakh and linseed. Sowing of wheat and gram begins from the second or third week of October while that of rabi jowar from the third week of September to second week of October. They are sown in non-irrigated fields. The crops in irrigated fields could be sown later. Wheat and gram are ready for harvesting in March. Rabi jowar and linseed are harvested in February.

Besides the principal crops enumerated above, a number of fruits and vegetables and condiment crops are produced in the district. Of these chillis, brinjals and tomatoes are transplanted in July. Picking of these crops begins in September and continues up to February. Winter vegetables sown in irrigated lands are also produced in the district. Sowing operations of these crops commence from October. Picking starts from November and lasts till February.

The cultivators hardly do any agricultural work during the hot season and hence this season of the year is unimportant. However, preparatory tillage is undertaken during its latter part.

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