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AGRICULTURE AND IRRIGATION
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OIL SEEDS
AREA UNDER OILSEEDS' CULTIVATION in Kolhapur district Shows
considerable increase in recent years. It was about six per cent, of the gross cropped area when the Gazetteer of Kolhapur State was first compiled and about thirteen per cent, in 1955-56. The oils of some seeds are solely used in cooking, of some both in cooking and for burning, of some for burning and in medicine and of some in medicines only. Edible oilseeds occupied most of the area cultivated. The following table shows the distribution of acreage under various oilseeds in different talukas of the district:-
TABLE No. 19.
AREA IN ACRES UNDER OILSEEDS IN EACH TALUKA OF KOLHAPUR DISTRICT IN 1956-56.
|
Taluka. |
Edible Oil Seeds. |
Non-edible Oil Seeds. |
Total Oil Seeds. |
|
Groun-dnut. |
Coco-nut. |
Sesa-mum. |
Safflo-wer |
Others |
Total Edible Oil Seeds. |
Lins-eed. |
Cas-tor. |
Niger Seed. |
Total Non-edible Oil Seeds. |
Ajra |
5,644 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
5,644 |
-- |
-- |
733 |
733 |
6,377 |
Bavada |
2 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
2 |
-- |
-- |
533 |
533 |
535 |
Bhudargad |
4,314 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
4,314 |
-- |
-- |
773 |
773 |
5,087 |
Gadhinglaj |
16,859 |
-- |
40 |
12 |
-- |
16,911 |
-- |
-- |
123 |
123 |
-- |
Hatkanangle |
25,099 |
-- |
2 |
45 |
-- |
25,148 |
1 |
4 |
35 |
40 |
25,188 |
Kagal |
18,737 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
18,737 |
-- |
2 |
27 |
29 |
18,766 |
Karvir |
10,849 |
-- |
-- |
12 |
-- |
10,861 |
-- |
-- |
22 |
22 |
10,883 |
Panhala |
7,207 |
-- |
4 |
-- |
-- |
7,211 |
-- |
-- |
147 |
147 |
7,358 |
Radhanagari |
2,741 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
2,741 |
-- |
-- |
1,145 |
1,145 |
3,886 |
Shahuwadi |
5,202 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
606 |
58,08 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
5,808 |
Shirol |
17,324 |
-- |
1 |
378 |
-- |
17,703 |
-- |
10 |
18 |
28 |
17,731 |
|
District Total |
1,13,978 |
2 |
47 |
447 |
606 |
1,15,080 |
1 |
16 |
3,556 |
3,573 |
1,18,653 |
Bhuimug.
Bhuimug (groundnut) is the most important oilseed grown in the district and occupied about ninety-seven per cent, of the total area under oilseeds. It is grown all over the district excepting Ajra taluka, the talukas of Hatkanangle, Kagal, Gadhinglaj and Shirol occupying much of the area under the crop. It is sown in June-July and harvested in November-December. The common method of sowing followed throughout the district is hand-dibbling. Two varieties are grown, namely, erect and spreading. Only farm yard manure is given, if available. The normal yield per acre per year is 1,500 lbs. The improved varieties that have been recommended are the Kopergaon No. 1 and Kopergaon No. 3. These improved varieties give better yield and the percentage of oil in them is more than in the local ones. Ripe nuts are consumed by oil mills in the district itself. Groundnut is eaten particularly on fasting days and also eaten on other days, often salted.
Karadai.
Karadai (safflower) is a minor oilseed and grown only in
Shirol taluka. It is generally grown on lighter types of soils as a border crop of rabi jowar and gram and seldom as an entire crop on lighter types of soils. It is sown in October-November and harvested in January-February. The normal yield per acre is about 250 lbs. Tender leaves of safflower plants are used as a vegetable. The oil extracted from the seed is used for cooking purposes.
Karale.
Karale (niger), also called khurasani, is grown in the district
on lighter types of soils. It is not grown only in Shahuwadi taluka. The areas of concentrated cultivation are Bhudargad, Ajra, Radhanagari and Bavada talukas. It is sown in June-July and harvested in November. It is the last crop taken on varkas land, which is left fallow afterwards for a period of four or five years to restore its fertility. It is also sown as a border crop of groundnut. It is grown without irrigation and manure. The normal yield is 250 lbs. per acre. A clear, limped, pale, yellow, sweet-oil is expected from the niger-seed. The seed is also used in chutnies.
other oilseeds.
There are other oilseeds like javas or alshi (linseed), erand
(castor), shiras (rapeseed) etc., which are grown in the district
sporadically and on a negligible scale. They are of minor
importance. |
