AGRICULTURE AND IRRIGATION

SEED SUPPLY

Amongst the factors that lead to an increase in the agricultural output, seeds occupy an important place. The soil, the rainfall, irrigational facilities if any, manures and such other factors together help for the vigorous growth of crops. But their total impact upon agricultural production is reduced if the seeds are of inferior quality. The recommendation of appropriate varieties or strains of crops suitable for the tracts, therefore, is equally important and cannot be overlooked. The governmental agro-technical personnel which is propagating the improved strains though met with little success in creating the required faith to accept a change in the traditional way of cultivation, they are doing a pioneering work. Such efforts have been institutionalised in the form of the taluka seed farms at nine places in the district. These farms have been established at Pimpri Kalambu. Sakri, Nawapur, Dhadgaon, Sindkheda, Shirpur, Akkalkuwa and Taloda up to 1965-66. A proposal for establishing a tenth taluka seed farm in Nandurbar taluka is under consideration at government level. So far, the agriculture department has recommended the following improved varieties or strains of crops for the district:—

The area under all the taluka seed farms is about 204.771 hectares (506 acres) and the quantity of seed distributed from these farms during 1964-65 and 1965-66 was as under:—

In the past, special efforts to improve the staple of the local cotton were made for many years, but the cultivation of exotic varieties did not spread; it was found that the exotics deteriorate speedily in quality and give an inferior yield to that of the local variety. In 1903-4 a small plot of land was acquired by the then local authority at Dhulia and several varieties of cotton and jowar, new to the district, were sown. The experiment was reported to be more promising than previous attempts, but definite results were not arrived at.

Another way of obtaining the seeds of good quality generally followed by the cultivators in the district is to preserve their own seeds of important crops like jowar, gram, paddy, bajri etc. Those who preserve seeds pick up selected earheads from healthy and vigorous plants at the time of harvest and preserve the same for the next sowing season. Some cultivators obtain their seeds either by exchange or by purchasing them from those who preserve good seeds. The seeds distributed by the taluka seed farms are also multiplied on the fields of registered seed-growers and are sold to other cultivators through co-operative societies.

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