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AGRICULTURE AND IRRIGATION
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VEGETABLES
The following table shows the distribution of area under vegetables in the district in 1955-56:-
TABLE No. 23.
AREA UNDER VEGETABLES (TALUKAWISE) IN RATNAGIRI DISTRICT, 1955-56.
(In acres)
|
|
Potato. |
Sweet Potato. |
Onion. |
Suran (Elephant's foot). |
Radish. |
Cabbage. |
Brinjal. |
Dapoli |
2 |
8 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
3 |
23 |
Mandangad |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
14 |
Khed |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
Chiplun |
-- |
-- |
-- |
16 |
8 |
1 |
52 |
Guhagar |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
5 |
4 |
37 |
Sangameshwar |
-- |
14 |
-- |
3 |
3 |
-- |
27 |
Ratnagiri |
-- |
20 |
-- |
-- |
9 |
20 |
31 |
Lanje |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
Rajapur |
-- |
11 |
-- |
-- |
1 |
2 |
21 |
Deogad |
-- |
--- |
-- |
-- |
3 |
-- |
27 |
Kankavli |
-- |
8 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
31 |
Malvan |
-- |
23 |
40 |
35 |
82 |
1 |
91 |
Vengurla |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
12 |
-- |
9 |
Kudal |
-- |
4 |
100 |
1 |
-- |
-- |
30 |
Sawantwadi |
-- |
-- |
114 |
8 |
80 |
-- |
75 |
|
District Total |
2 |
88 |
255 |
63 |
203 |
31 |
468 |
continued..
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Tomato. |
Bhendi Lady's finger). |
Musk Melon (Kharbuj) |
Other Vegetables |
Total Vegetables. |
|
Winter |
Summer |
Total |
Dapoli |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
36 |
Mandangad |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
5 |
5 |
19 |
Khed |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
75 |
75 |
75 |
Chiplun |
-- |
-- |
-- |
1,506 |
-- |
1,506 |
1,583 |
Guhagar |
-- |
-- |
-- |
23 |
-- |
23 |
69 |
Sangameshwar |
-- |
-- |
12 |
8 |
-- |
8 |
67 |
Ratnagiri |
9 |
6 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
95 |
Lanje |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
41 |
41 |
41 |
Rajapur |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
36 |
Deogad |
-- |
4 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
35 |
Kankavli |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
43 |
43 |
82 |
Malvan |
-- |
82 |
-- |
6 |
32 |
38 |
392 |
Vengurla |
-- |
12 |
106 |
19 |
6 |
25 |
164 |
Kudal |
-- |
16 |
-- |
38 |
-- |
38 |
189 |
Sawantwadi |
-- |
45 |
7 |
15 |
-- |
15 |
344 |
|
District Total |
9 |
165 |
126 |
1,615 |
202 |
1,817 |
3,227 |
As compared to other districts of the state, area under vegetables in Ratnagiri is much less due to prohibitive cost of production resulting from poor soils, inadequate irrigation facilities and availability of vegetables at comparatively cheaper rates from adjoining upghat areas of Kolhapur, Belgaum and Karad. The rainfall in the district being heavy, the kharif season is not a proper vegetable season. Vegetable cultivation is mostly limited to the period commencing from post-paddy harvesting to the end of February. As a result, large scale cultivation of vegetables is rarely to be found. It is concentrated mainly near towns. Vegetables are also taken as inter-crops in the gardens, which also explains the absence of uniform cultural operations in the district for an individual vegetable. There is, however a tendency to grow vegetables in the order as described in the following paragraphs and it is presumed that adherence to it would ensure a steady supply in the market and keep the grower busy during the season.
Green Vegetables.
Green vegetables that are commonly grown are padval (snake gourd), dudhi (bottle gourd), karle (bitter gourd), dodka (ridge gourd), lalbhopla (red pumpkin), bhendi (lady's finger), vange (brinjal) and belwange (tomato). In the case of gourds and red pumpkins, land is prepared by digging the soil in May, pulverising it and making ring-type seed beds. The seed beds which are usually rabbed-i.e. burnt with leaves etc., have a diameter of two and a half feet and are spaced at a distance of ten feet from each other. Before the seed is sown, they are given farm yard manure or compost at the rate of 15 lbs per seed bed. Sowing is generally done in the second week of May (two to four weeks before the onset of monsoon), the seed rate being four to six seeds per bed. Watering is done during this period at an interval of about four days and creepers are trailed on supports (mandav) so that before heavy downpour begins, the crop is well-established in the soil. Picking starts from August onwards and continues till the end of September. Pumpkins get ready by the end of September. Bhendi is also sown early in May to ensure its establishment before the middle of June. The seed is dibbled at a distance of two to three feet both ways at the rate of six to eight lbs. per acre. Before the seed is sown, 10 to 15 cart-loads of farm yard manure are applied to each acre of land. Irrigation is done during May at an interval of four days. Picking starts from the middle of July and continues till mid-August. This crop grows luxuriantly in kharif season. Its annual yield is about 4,000 lbs. per acre. [Brinjal and tomato are grown little late i.e. after the heavy rains of July.] Seedlings are prepared on raised ground and transplanting is done in August two or three feet apart both ways, in flat beds or on ridges and furrows. These beds are manured at the rate of one cartload of farm yard manure per three to four gunthas. Top-dressing of ammonium sulphate at the rate of one maund per acre is also given. Supports are given to tomato crop by careful farmers by fixing small bamboo sticks near the plant and by securing the plants to the supports. Water is supplied at intervals of six days. Picking starts from October and is over in about four weeks. These vegetables are also taken in rabi season.
Leafy Vegetables.
Leafy vegetables like palak, pokla, methi (fenugreek) and kothimbir (coriander) are sown in flat beds by the end of July or early in August. Farm yard manure is applied at the rate of 15 cartloads per acre. Sometimes irrigation is also given, though it is not very necessary. Picking is done during September and October, the annual yield varying between 6,000 and 8,000 lbs. per acre. These vegetables are also taken in rabi and hot weather seasons.
This tract is not suited to the cultivation of root and tuber type of vegetables, though scattered areas can be found under suran and potato. Onion, radish and sweet potato are also grown in some places. Cultivation of onion is concentrated in Kudal and Sawantwadi talukas while radish is mostly taken in Malvan and Sawantwadi talukas. It is grown all the year round and roots are picked after five or six weeks. Usually it is taken on the borders of the flat beds on which leafy vegetables are grown. Recently, there is observed a tendency to increase the production of sweet potato.
Vegetables imported in the district are cabbage, cauliflower, knolkhol, green tomato, gawar, methi, tondli, pumpkins, onions, potatoes, sweet-potatoes and brinjals. Though the import is continuous, its magnitude increases from October onwards.
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