AGRICULTURE AND IRRIGATION

SEED SUPPLY

The progressive cultivators are usually found to pick up selected earheads from healthy and vigorous plants at the time of harvesting and preserve them for seed till the next sowing season. With other cultivators, the common practice is to obtain seed either from local merchants or from big cultivators, who have surplus seed to sell after meeting their own requirements. Tenant-farmers of limited means borrow seed from their landlords and make repayment in kind after harvest at a rate of from one and a quarter to one and a half times the quantity borrowed. The merchants and big cultivators procure their stock from various localities renowned for quality seed.

Vegetable seeds are secured by the merchants from progressive cultivators locally and sold to small vegetable growers. Besides, progressive cultivators are also found to sell the seed directly to those who need it. Very often vegetable growers are seen exchanging the seeds of different vegetables, while a number of persons taking vegetables as a kharif crop set aside good seed of one season to be utilised for sowing purpose in the succeeding season. Fruit trees are generally propagated by grafts and seedlings which are obtained from local gardens and nurseries.

The Agriculture Department has been actively engaged in the work of propagating improved strains of paddy. The three Government research institutions, namely, Karjat Agricultural Research Station, Khopoli Agricultural Research Station and Panvel Salt and Paddy Station are engaged in supplying nuclear seed of a high quality to the cultivators. The seed obtained from Government farms is multiplied on the farms of registered seed growers from whom it is purchased by the department at a premium of eight annas per Bengali maund over the current local price. It is again multiplied on a larger area. The following statement gives the total quantity of improved seeds distributed in 1959-60: -

TABLE No. 82

 QUANTITY OF PADDY SEED DISTRIBUTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE IN KOLABA DISTRICT (1959-60)

TABLE No. 82 contd.

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