AGRICULTURE AND IRRIGATION

AGRICULTURAL SESSIONS

The cultivable land in the district is divided into two main types, viz., jirayat or dry land and bagayat or irrigated land. The jirayat land is further divided into kharif and rabi.

The main kharif crops are jowar, bajri, maize, mug, tur, udid, matki, cotton, groundnut, ambadi, chillis, niger, bhendi and sesame. The sowing of kharif crops starts from June if the rains are timely and the harvesting is done from September to November. Crops like cotton and chillis are picked up during September and December in a number of successive pickings after a period of 10 to 15 days.

Rabi crops include jowar, wheat, gram, safflower, linseed, etc. These are grown from September to October and harvested in February-March. Rabi jowar and wheat are taken as a second crop in fields retaining moisture and are sown after mug, udid and groundnut. Gram is taken as a second crop in fields occupied by paddy and bajri in the kharif season. Rabi crops— particularly wheat—are grown on irrigated land for better yields. Spices and vegetables like onions, garlic, raddish, cabbage, brinjal, tomato and carrot are grown as a second crop in the rabi season when the kharif harvest is over. It will thus be seen that there are some crops like jowar which are taken as kharif crops or rabi crops depending mainly upon the system of crop rotation followed by the cultivators having regard to the type of the soil, climatic conditions, yield of the crop and the expenses to be incurred etc.