AGRICULTURE AND IRRIGATION

SEED SUPPLY

Since the use of healthy and improved varieties of seeds help increase the crop-yields at least two-fold than what it would be by using ordinary seeds, cultivators have always been careful to see that only healthy and good quality seeds are used for sowing. It has always been the practice with the agriculturists, particularly the big and the medium ones, to preserve a part of their best harvest to serve as seeds for the next season. The small and the poor cultivators usually depend upon the big ones for their seed requirements. The Government efforts to produce and supply quality seeds to the agriculturists have largely been crowned with success and this has greatly eased the situation at least for the small cultivators as they are assured of a sure source of supply. Progressive cultivators who always look for better and high-yielding seeds also depend upon outside supply. The cultivators are always solicitous to see that the grains preserved for seed are bold, healthy and free from insect attack.

Selection of seed is generally confined to jowar, wheat, tur, groundnut and a few other crops. But as the Government seed-farms have made possible the supply of improved seeds, at least on a small scale, of practically all the crops including fruits and vegetables, farmers and gardeners sow other seeds only if they do not get the improved varieties. Selected earheads of good size having bold lustrous grains are picked up on the threshing yard and threshed separately. The threshed grains are stored in receptacles mixed with bhusa. Sometimes neem leaves are also stuffed at the top to keep off the insect attack. Kanagis or receptacles in which wheat and jowar seeds are stored are made out off wand cotton stalks or some other material. In case of groundnut only bigger size pods are selected and stored in gunny bags, no special precaution being necessary. The seeds of wheat, jowar and tur are sometimes sprayed with insecticides like BHC powder. Some of the cultivators get their cotton ginned privately and preserve the seed.

Many big cultivators store seeds in excess of their requirements and sell them to the needy cultivators at the sowing time. They get a premium of 10 per cent, over the prevailing market rate of the ordinary grain. Merchants dealing in cotton and groundnut also sell seed. Sometimes seeds of one particular crop are exchanged for that of another. In case of vegetables and fruits also, while some preserve their own seed, yet others depend upon big farms and the Government Seed-Farms.

Under the scheme of agricultural production, multiplication and distribution of improved seeds has been taken up for which purpose eight taluka seed-farms have been established throughout the Wardha District. They are located at Selsura, Ladnapur, Talgaon, Nachangaon, Virul, Pohna, Jam and Sukali. Of the eight, seven farms have eleven wells for irrigation fitted either with oil engines or electric pumps and the eighth has been provided with lift irrigation from the Wardha river. It is proposed to have more such farms as the existing ones are not able to meet the requirements fully. These farms not only produce improved strains of seed but some of them also serve as demonstration centres in order to induce the cultivators to follow up improved agricultural practices. The major improved seed-strains multiplied are Jowar P. S. 13, Tur No. 148, Groundnut AK. 12-24, Udid No. 55, Wheat Hy. 65, N-59, NI-146, NI-747-19, Paddy Taichung N-1, Mug Kopergaon, Til No. 128, and Gram Chafa. The following table indicates variety-wise production of improved strains in 1966-67 on these farms.

TABLE No. 25

PRODUCTION OF IMPROVED STRAINS, WARDHA DISTRICT

Fruit nurseries have also been established on taluka seed-farms at Nachangaon and Ladnapur which produce and distribute seeds and seedlings of orange mosumbi, guava, chiku, pomegranate and quite a few other fruits. Likewise vegetable nurseries have been set up on Nachangaon, Sukali and Jam seed farms. In these nurseries seeds of brinjal, tomato, fenugreek, snake gourd, bitter gourd, ghosavli, dodka, palak, chakwat, french beans, double beans, lady's finger and the like are produced. It is proposed to establish a orchard-cum-nursery at Bori village near the Bor dam on an area of 18 to 20 acres. An area of 16.36 acres has already been acquired for this purpose and work is in progress. The block agency has generally been entrusted with the distribution of improved seeds from village to village.

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