AGRICULTURE AND IRRIGATION

AGRICULTURAL SEASONS

kharif season: There are two main agricultural seasons in the district, viz., kharif and rabi. The kharif season commences from the first week of June, i.e., from the first day of the Mrug Nakshatra and continues up to November-December. The south-west monsoon starts from June which is mainly useful for pre-sowing, preparatory tillage of the soil. The regular south-west rains set in by the fourth week of June and the sowing operations start with these rains. Special importance is given to sowing of the cotton crop during the Mrug Nakshatra as it results in good yield. For the kharif crops lands are ploughed during April and May and preparatory tillage consisting of harrowing is done before the onset of the monsoon. With the onset of the monsoon, the farmers start sowing operations. Kharif crops are harvested in the months of November-December. Due to the uncertainty rains, irrigation is also required to be given to kharif crops wherver irrigation facilities are available. The main crops grown in the Kharif season are cotton, ground-nut, bajri, tur, maize, mug, paddy, etc. in the district The area under them in 1971-72 was as follows:-

Rabi season: This season commences from the middle of October. The he land is ploughed in the months of October-November for rabi season. The preparatory tillage such as harrowing is done before sowing. Sowing of rabi crops begins from the first week of October. They are sown in non-irrigated fields. The crops in irrigated fields could be own later. The jowar crop is harvested in the month of January, while wheat and gram crops are harvested in the month of March. The rabi crops like jowar, wheat and gram are generally grown as rain-fed crops on a large scale and are irrigated wherever the irrigation facilities are available. The area under different rabi crops in 1971-72 was as follows:-

Hot-weather crops: Besides the kharif and rabi crops, hot-weather crops are also grown in the district. The preparatory tillage is completed immediately after the harvest of rabi crops for the sowing of hot-weather crops. The crops like maize, ground-nut, etc., are sown in the months of March-April. The irrigated cotton crop is also planted in the month of April, where adequate irrigation facilities are available. Other hot-weather crops such as ground-nut and maize are also grown where adequate irrigation facilities are available. The other agricultural practices are the same as those for the kharif crops.

The district has a considerably more area under the rabi crops than under kharif crops. The proportion of kharif and rabi area is more or less equal in Barshi taluka whereas all other talukas have a very high proportion of area under the cultivation of rabi crops.

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