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AGRICULTURE AND IRRIGATION
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OIL SEEDS
A variety of oil-seeds is grown in Buldhana district. They comprise groundnut, safflower, linseed, sesame, rape, mustard, castor-seed etc. Groundnut, safflower and sesame are important among edible oil-seeds whereas linseed, castor-seed among non-edible oil-seeds. The acreage under oil-seeds in the district in 1971-72 was 62.063 hectares. Out of the net area sown viz., 6,88,599 hectares in 1971-72, oil-seeds accounted for only 9.16 per cent. Table Nos. 16 and 17 give tahsilwise acreage and outturn of oil-seeds in Buldhana district for some years from 1956-57 to 1971-72.
TABLE No. 16
AREA UNDER OIL-SEEDS IN EACH TAHSIL OF BULDHANA DISTRICT
[In Acres*]
Tahsil |
Year |
Ground-nut |
Sesame |
Safflower |
Total edible oil-seeds |
Linseed |
Castor seed |
Total non-edible oil-seeds |
Total oil-seeds |
|
(1) |
(2) |
(3) |
(4) |
(5) |
(6) |
(7) |
(8) |
(9) |
(10) | |
Chikhli |
1956-57 |
22,707 |
918 |
24,002 |
47,793 |
891 |
58 |
1,049 |
48,842 | |
1960-61 |
24,751 |
908 |
24,624 |
50,482 |
750 |
165 |
1,526 |
52,008 | |
1964-65 |
17,965 |
792 |
19,098 |
37,978 |
457 |
40 |
802 |
38,780 | |
1968-69 |
5,475 |
-- |
11,366 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
17,534 | |
1971-72 |
5,792 |
-- |
11,899 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
18,471 | |
Mehkar |
1956-57 |
12,551 |
815 |
22,287 |
35,948 |
852 |
64 |
1,161 |
37,109 | |
1960-61 |
12,200 |
1,003 |
20,282 |
33,844 |
907 |
52 |
1,323 |
35,167 | |
1964-65 |
11,440 |
676 |
20,609 |
33,134 |
821 |
35 |
1,185 |
34,319 | |
1968-69 |
3,047 |
-- |
5,715 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
9,646 | |
1971-72 |
3,375 |
-- |
24,955 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
28,863 | |
Khamgaon |
1956-57 |
30,092 |
1,180 |
70 |
31,402 |
1,004 |
14 |
1,035 |
32,437 | |
1960-61 |
28,277 |
1,318 |
129 |
29,771 |
997 |
13 |
1,018 |
30,789 | |
1964-65 |
28,975 |
1,024 |
109 |
30,144 |
795 |
9 |
804 |
30,948 | 1968-69 |
4,675 |
-- |
27 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
5,483 | |
1971-72 |
7,124 |
-- |
411 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
8,202 | |
Malkapur |
1956-57 |
21,299 |
1,222 |
59 |
22,609 |
881 |
54 |
963 |
23,572 | |
1960-61 |
18,262 |
858 |
20 |
19,163 |
786 |
37 |
916 |
20,079 | |
1964-65 |
13,848 |
867 |
19 |
14,756 |
464 |
29 |
514 |
15,270 | |
1968-69 |
1,520 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
1,843 | 1971-72 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
3,330 |
Jalgaon |
1956-57 |
1,409 |
947 |
9 |
2,378 |
376 |
9 |
386 |
2,764 | 1960-61 |
3,644 |
1,056 |
23 |
4,738 |
318 |
29 |
347 |
5,085 |
1964-65 |
5,029 |
977 |
6 |
6,016 |
76 |
33 |
110 |
6,l26 | 1968-69 |
1,748 |
-- |
1 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
2,282 | 1971-72 |
2,813 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
3,l97 |
District Total |
1956-57 |
88,058 |
5,082 |
46,427 |
145,212 |
4,004 |
199 |
4,594 |
149,806 |
1960-61 |
87,134 |
5,143 |
45,078 |
137.998 |
3,758 |
296 |
5,130 |
143,128 |
1964-65 |
77,257 |
4,336 |
39,841 |
122,028 |
2,613 |
146 |
3,415 |
125,443 |
1968-69 |
l6,465 |
-- |
17,109 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
36,788 |
1971-72 |
19,104 |
-- |
37,265 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
62,063 |
*Figures for 1968-69 and 1971-72 are in hectares.
TABLE No. 17
TAHSILWISE OUT-TURN OF OIL-SEEDS IN BULDHANA DISTRICT.
(In Tons) |
Tahsil |
Year |
Groundnut |
Sesame |
Linseed |
Castor-seed |
Total Oil-seeds | |
(1) |
(2) |
(3) |
(4) |
(5) |
(6) |
(7) | |
Chikhli |
1956-57 |
5,190 |
79 |
83 |
5 |
5,372 |
1960-61 |
5,526 |
80 |
76 |
28 |
5,739 |
1963-64 |
2,524 |
68 |
49 |
34 |
2,695 | |
Mehkar |
1956-57 |
2,844 |
73 |
20 |
6 |
2,973 |
1960-61 |
2,724 |
93 |
94 |
7 |
2,953 |
1963-64 |
1,935 |
92 |
64 |
7 |
2,143 | |
Khamgaon |
1956-57 |
5,239 |
103 |
111 |
1 |
5,460 |
1960-61 |
4,500 |
124 |
101 |
3 |
4,733 |
1963-64 |
4,060 |
103 |
8 |
2 |
4,251 | |
Malkapur |
1956-57 |
5,487 |
1,253 |
90 |
5 |
6,838 |
1960-61 |
1,590 |
79 |
83 |
7 |
1,761 |
1963-64 |
1,521 |
51 |
86 |
5 |
1,665 | |
Jalgaon |
1956-57 |
396 |
83 |
34 |
1 |
515 |
1960-61 |
6,861 |
102 |
32 |
3 |
6,999 |
1963-64 |
764 |
32 |
10 |
8 |
815 | |
District Total |
1956-57 |
19,156 |
1,591 |
338 |
18 |
21,158 |
1960-61 |
21,201 |
478 |
386 |
48 |
22,185 |
1963-64 |
10,804 |
346 |
290 |
56 |
11,569 |
1968-69 |
12,280 |
300 |
400 |
-- |
-- |
1971-72* |
11,200 |
300 |
400 |
100 |
-- |
*Figures for 1971-72 are in metric tonnes.
Groundnut.—Groundnut (bhuimug) is the most important oil-seed crop of the district and covered an area of 19,104 hectares in 1971-72. It was grown in almost all the tahsils of the district with Khamgaon and Chikhli accounting for a large area of 12,916 hectares in 1971-72. Malkapur tahsil ranked next in order. The groundnut crop in Buldhana district accounts for 30.78 per cent of the total area under oil-seeds crops.
Groundnut is grown as a kharif crop in the district. It requires ahout 25 inches of rainfall for dry farming. Good alluvial loams, medium black, light sandy and well drained sandy loam soils are congenial to its growth. Black cotton soils are also put to groundnut cultivation.
Deep ploughing, intensive harrowing and inter-culturing are of prime importance in regard to this crop. It is sown from the last week of June up to the first week of July. When it is grown on medium types of soils a second crop of wheat is produced wherever irrigation facilities are available. This crop is usually rotated with cotton and jowar. Cowdung manure is generally applied to the crop; 10 kg. of N2 and 10 kg. of P205 are given to the crop at the time of sowing.
Groundnut seeds arc sown in rows either by the dibbling method or drilled with argada and sarata. Under the former, furrows are opened by the coultered drill and seeds are dibbled by hand in the furrows. Under the latter, seeds are dropped in bowls which are connected to the coulters by means of hollow bamboo tubes. The latter method is common though the dibbling method which saves seeds and assures germination is regarded better. Nearly 40 kg. of kernel are required for sowing an acre of land.
Groundnut is adaptable to a wide range of climatic conditions. Bright sunshine is essential for flowering while moist and friable soil is good for penetration of the peg and subsequent development of pods. An alternate spell of dry and wet weather is very conducive to pod formation. Inter-culturing and weeding has to be done regularly. At least 3 hocings are given by dawara, as also two weedings. The crop is ready for harvest by the middle of October. Harvesting is done by uprooting plants from the ground, and pods are separated by hand or by beating the pod bearing plants on a log of wood.
The Department of Agriculture has introduced in the district a scheme for multiplication and distribution of the groundnut variety AK 12-14. Besides, there are other varieties of groundnut grown in the district such as Lal Japan, Tija (AK-10) etc The average yield per acre varies from 500 kg. 700 kg. The yield of the irrigated crop is much higher.
Groundnut kernel is used in a variety of ways. Its oil is used for cooking. The cake is used as a manure especially for bananas. It is also a good nutritious food for cattle.
Safflower.—Safflower (karadi) is usually grown as a mixed crop with rabi wheat, gram, and jowar, though it can be grown as a pure crop or as a border crop to serve as fence to keep away stray cattle. It is sown in October-November and harvested in February-March.
The preparations for sowing are the same as the ones given to the crop along with which it is grown. Two inter-culturings are given after the crop comes up. The crop is ripe in about four months. The plants are uprooted and stacked for a few days. The dried plants are threshed with sticks and the seeds are separated.
The safflower crop requires medium to heavy soils. The average yield per acre is about 200 lbs. to 250 lbs. Recently improved strains of karadi have been introduced. Edible oil is extracted from the seeds. Oil cake is utilised as a good cattle-feed. The tender leaves of safflower are used as a vegetable.
Safflower covered an area of 20,462 hectares or 46.99 per cent of area under oil seeds in the district in 1971-72. Mehkar and Chikhli tahsils covered about 9.007 and 11,241 hectares, respectively, in 1971-72. while Khamgaon, Malkapur and Jalgaon had a negligible area under this crop.
Linseed.—Linseed (Jawas or alshi) is a rabi crop grown along-with wheat and jowar with strips of about nine rows alternating with a few rows of wheat and gram. Linseed covered an area of 2,613 acres in 1964-65 in the district. It is also grown as a border crop around fields of wheat or gram. Black cotton soils with their characteristic high clay and lime contents, and alluvial soils are congenial for its good growth. Though irrigation assures better growth, it can be produced as a dry crop also. Sowing is done with wheat or gram in October-November and is harvested in January-February. As the seeds, after ripening, shed easily, the plants are uprooted when the capsules are just ripe and begin to open. The dried plants are beaten with sticks to thresh out the seeds completely. A good crop yields about 400 to 500 lbs. per acre. But the average yield is 200 lbs. only. So far, no improved strains have been introduced. Many a cultivators use linseed oil for cooking. Linseed cake is a good manure as also the best food for milch cattle.
Sesame.— Sesame (til) accounted for a very small area of the total acreage under oil-seeds cultivation in the district in 1964-65. It is grown both as a kharif as well as a rabi crop throughout the district. When produced as a kharif crop, it is sown in June-July and harvested in October. Local non-descript varieties are grown in the district. Generally three kinds of til are grown, one with red, one with white and one with black seed. The first is a cold season til and commonly known as boria til; the other two known as houri til are sown at the beginning of the rainy season. Early til is sown on the soil that is considered too poor for cotton or jowar whereas for cold season til, a good soil is selected.
The outturn on poor soils is about 250 lbs. per acre. Til oil is used for cooking and the cake is used as cattle-feed.
Sesame gives a good return to the cultivators. It is generally grown as a mixed crop with cotton, groundnut and jowar. Moderate rainfall and occasional sunshine are congenial for its good growth.
Castor-seed.—Castor-seed (erandi)is a catch-crop grown on the farm boundaries and waste lands. It is often grown mixed with other crops. There are two types of plant varieties, annual and perennial. The annual varieties are much smaller than the perennial ones. The latter grows rapidly even up to a height of 4.57 to 6.09 metres. Perennial castor plants are chiefly grown along irrigation water channels, on borders of garden lands or irrigated lands.
Sowing is done by dibbling the seeds in June-July. The crop is ready for harvesting in February-March. When it is grown as a pure crop the seed is sown at a distance of 0.91 metre either way. As a mixed crop the seed is mixed with those of the main crop in any proportion. Castor-seed cultivation is a good source of income to the farmers.
An improved strain (S-20) which gives better yield and more percentage of oil has been introduced recently in the district.
Other Oil-seeds.—Besides the oil-seeds described so far, other oil-seeds such as mustard, niger seed, etc., are also grown in this district. These occupied an area of 5,694 hectares in 1971-72. Of this, Mehkar tahsil covered 533 hectares, Khamgaon 667 hectares, Chikhli 780 hectares, Malkapur 3,330 hectares, and Jalgaon 384 hectares in 1971-72.
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