The Gazetteers Department

The black alluvial soil in Manjlegaon, Mominabad and Kaij tahsils is highly suitable for cotton [Cotton accounts for approximately 2.52 lakhs acres of land in the district. The gaorani variety of cotton is grown extensively. The yarn spun from this cotton has very good tensile strength and good finish. It yields fine count yam which is used in superfine textiles. In order to protect this variety, the former Hyderabad State government declared the area, where it was grown extensively, as a protected area. Due importance is given to cotton cultivation under the agricultural development schemes in the district.] cultivation. If irrigation facilities are made available, large cotton tracts can be brought under double cotton crop. Irrigation will not only bring more acreage under cotton but will also facilitate the cultivation of improved long staple varieties like cambodia which is grown in the neighbouring district of Ahmadnagar.

For the development of cotton cultivation, an assured supply of improved seeds and preservation of purity of the seeds are of great value. It has been found by the agriculture department that by use of improved seeds the average yield per acre can be increased by about 10 per cent. To ensure continuous supply of improved strains and to speed up multiplication of improved seeds of cotton, wheat and jowar, the government started some seed farms in the district. Nucleus seeds are being produced at these farms. Seeds supplied by the research stations in the State are multiplied further on these farms.

The cotton crop is highly vulnerable to serious pests and diseases. The damage due to the frequent occurrence of these pests and diseases is sometimes so large that the consequent economic hardships become almost unbearable to the district economy. It is, therefore, imperative on the part of the Government to make available the right type of insecticides, germicides and pesticides to the agriculturists. In the nature of things, the requisite measures for fighting the pests have to be on a very large scale. Hence, collective efforts are likely to be more useful and purposeful.

Jowar, which is, by far, the most important crop in Bhir district occupied an area of 345237.390 hectares (8,52,438 acres) in 1961-62. The agricultural land in the district is highly suitable for jowar cultivation. Since the last few years the agriculturists have begun to adopt better cultural methods with the result that productivity has improved.

Bajri is another very important food crop which occupied an area of 74803.500 hectares (1,84,700 acres) in 1960-61. The soil and climatic conditions in the Bhir, Patoda and Ashti tahsils are conducive to the cultivation of bajri. Wheat which occupied an area 42475.995 hectares (1,04,879 acres) in 1960-61 is produced as a rabi crop all over the district. The climatic and soil conditions in the Mominabad and Kaij tahsils are quite favourable for wheat cultivation. At present the wheat crop mainly depends upon rain water and well irrigation which are not adequate. With the necessary irrigation facilities, wheat cultivation can be expanded immensely.

Besides the four important crops, there are a few more prospective crops, such as, gram, mung, tur, chillis and sugarcane. Intensive methods of cultivation accompanied by irrigation, fertilisers and better seeds will go a long way in fetching better returns and prosperity to the district economy.

The programme of introduction of improved agricultural practices also includes schemes to promote adoption of improved implements, such as better ploughs, hoes and drilling equipment. The adoption of scientific cultural practices, such * as, inter-culturing, eradication of weeds, proper spacing and suitable crop rotation are calculated to result in higher yield per acre. The proper rotation of crops is very important in the case of cotton and wheat. For example, the yield of cotton is fairly good if it is sown after groundnut or mung crop. These measures are being adopted through extension services.

Besides the utilisation of improved seeds and implements, the use of manures and fertilisers goes a long way in increasing the yield. The government made a beginning in this respect during the First Five-Year Plan by distributing chemical manures and fertilisers, such as super phosphate, ammonium sulphate and fertiliser mixtures. The government has also been undertaking measures to encourage the grampanchayats, municipalities and other organisations at the village and town levels in the preparation of compost manures and economic use of green manures. All these measures, if continued in the right manner, will definitely result in increasing agricultural production. Though some progress in this respect is made, the-agriculturists still are not able to purchase fertilisers in the required quantity due to high prices. With the availability of the requisite quantity of fertilisers at reasonably low prices, the total production of food as well as cash crops will increase substantially.