AGRICULTURE AND IRRIGATION

OIL-SEEDS

A variety of oil-seeds are grown in the district. The acreage under oil-seeds in 1965-66 was 79,816. Groundnut, sesamum and safflower were important among edible oil-seeds whereas linseed, castor seed and niger-seed were important among non-edible oil seeds. Table Nos. 11 and 12 give area and outturn of oil seeds in Yeotmal district from 1957-58 to 1965-66.

TABLE No. 11

AREA UNDER OIL-SEEDS (TAHSIL-WISE) IN YEOTMAL DISTRICT FROM 1957-58 TO 1965-66

[ In Acres ]

continued..

TABLE No. 12

OUTTURN OF OIL-SEEDS (TAHSIL-WISE) IN YEOTMAL DISTRICT FROM 1957-58 TO 1963-64

[ In tons ]

GROUNDNUT.

Amongst oil-seeds groundnut is the most important one. In 1961, it occupied 56 per cent of the area covered by oil-seeds. The other oil-seeds of some importance are sesamum and linseed. Groundnut occupied 3.77 per cent of the gross cropped area in the district in 1961. Taking into account tahsilwise area, Darwha tahsil with 9.64 per cent had the highest area under groundnut crop in 1961, and Wani tahsil had the lowest area, 0.45 per cent only. In 1963-64, groundnut occupied an area of 21,026 hectares.

Groundnut is usually produced as dry crop in kharif, season. It can he grown on light sandy soil, well drained sandy loams and good alluvial loams. The land is ploughed and harrowed twice before the monsoon. One more heavy harrowing is given after the first showers. The seeds are sown with four coultered drill in June-July. One or two weedings are given. The flowering starts after about two months and in about four months, the crop is ready for harvest. Harvesting includes pulling the plants up by roots with the help of light pick. The pods are pulled out by hand either in the field or at home. The dry plants serve as food for cattle. The oil-cake also serves as a highly concentrated food for cattle. It is also a useful manure for sugarcane. The Department of Agriculture has recommended AK-12-24 as the best suited improved variety of groundnut for the district.

Sesamum.

Sesamum, til, is generally grown in kharif season. It gives best return on light sandy loams. The field is brought to fine tilth by ploughing and by giving two or three harrowings before monsoon. The seeds are sown broadcast in rows. As the seeds are small, they are mixed with ash. sand or manure before sowing to secure even distribution. The crop is thinned out and intercultured twice, and is also hand-weeded. Sesamum takes about four months to ripen. When the crop is ready for harvesting, the plants are cut 2-3 inches from the soil. The plants are then collected in bundles and allowed to dry. The seed pods split open, and the seeds are separated by heating the plants against the ground.

Oil is extracted from the seed in oil ghanis. The oil-cake left after the extraction of oil serves as a very good concentrated cattle feed.

Linseed.

Linseed, alshi, is grown on light alluvial soils and black cotton soils. The land is prepared by ploughing and harrowing it by the end of September. The sowing is generally done in October with seed drills. The crop becomes ready for harvesting in the month of February when the plants are uprooted or cut at the base. The threshing and removing of grains is done in the same way as is done in case of sesamum.

TOP