AGRICULTURE AND IRRIGATION

SUGARCANE

Sugar-cane is a minor garden crop in the district grown principally for juice. In 1965-66 the acreage under sugar-cane was only 281,Wardha tahsil alone accounting for 202 acres. The crop can be raised on a variety of soils but in the district it is grown in heavy well drained soils with good irrigation facilities. Ample water and heavy doses of manure are the principal requirements of this crop.

For sugar-cane, land needs be prepared very carefully by giving repeated ploughings and bakharings until the soil comes to fine tilth. Then furrows are prepared by means of an ordinary plough and manured with farmyard manure, oil-cake and chemical fertilisers like ammonium sulphate and super phosphate. The furrows are made wet by letting water in and then cuttings from selected ripe sugarcane stumps are planted at a reasonable distance to allow the plants to grow unhindered. Planting is done in January or February.

Within six to eight weeks of planting the germination is complete when the gap filling is done by hand. As the cane grows the weeds also grow along side and hence weeding is one of the essential operations. In another two to two and a half months the first earthing is done and the final in the month of July. The cane is then tied to keep it straight. The crop is harvested in December by cutting it close to the ground and then carted to the crushing yard.

Table No. 17 gives tahsil-wise area and out-turn of sugar-cane in Wardha District.

TABLE No. 17

TAHSIL-WISE AREA AND OUT-TURN OF SUGAR-CANE IN WARDHA DISTRICT, 1957-58 TO 1965-66.

*Area in acres. **Out-turn in hundred tons.

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