AGRICULTURE AND IRRIGATION

SUGARCANE

Sugarcane is one of the most important cash crops of the district. It occupied an area of 10,289.951 hectares (25,427 acres) in 1961-62. The expansion of area under sugarcane plantation which is concentrated roundabout the sugar factory is due to the assured demand from the Shetkari Sahakari Sakhar Karkhana Ltd.. Sangli. The sugar factory affords various facilities to the cultivators for the scientific cultivation of the crop,

Sugarcane (oos) is an irrigated tropical crop and requires abundant supply of water and moist hot climate. Black soils of various depths, specially medium well drained soils about 0.609 to 0.914 m. (two to three feet) in depth, are best suited. The crop requires one complete year to get ready for harvest. Usually canes are planted from December to January and are ready for harvest in February-March. Different varieties of sugarcane for different types of soils have been supplied by the Sugarcane Research Station of Padegaon in Satara district. Of these various varieties Co. 740 is used on a very large scale. The cultivation of the crop consists of various stages like ploughing and harrowing the land well in advance, laying of ridges and furrows of the finely tilthed land, periodical waterings, manuring and protecting it from animals and pests and diseases. The furrows are made at 0.914 to 1.52,4 m. (3 to 5 feet) distance. The whole plot is again divided into beds or wakure. The furrows are irrigated before planting. The top of the sugarcane is removed and the remaining is cut into pieces The piece is locally known as pere. These pieces are then carefully laid in the furrows. Such piece must have at least three eyebuds.

Gul, sugar and kakvi are prepared from sugarcane juice. Cane is crushed in iron crushers and boiled in iron pan for preparing gul. At times the tops of sugarcane (wade) are used as cattle feed. The dry sugarcane leaves and the squeezed canes are used as fuel for boiling the juice.

The following table gives the area under sugarcane in the district from 1956-57 to 1961-62.

TABLE No. 24.

AREA UNDER SUGARCANE IN SANGLI DISTRICT, 1956-57 TO 1961-62.

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