AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY AND INTENSITY ...

EDUBEAM MULTIDISCIPLINARY- ONLINE RESEARCH JOURNAL VOL-IX, ISSUE-1, NOVEMBER-2013 ISSN 2320 – 6314

AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY AND INTENSITY OF DROUGHT - PRONE AREAS IN JALGAON DISTRICT OF MAHARASHTRA STATE Associate prof. N.A. Patil, Dr. A.L. Suryawanshi

Dr. D.S. Suryawanshi

Dept. of Geography NYNC Arts, sci and com. College, Chalisgaon Dist. Jalgaon (M.S.)

Dept. of Geography Vidyawardhini Arts, sci and com College, Dhule, Dist. Dhule

ABSTRACT: Agricultural development and agricultural productivity has been increasing with the changes in traditional agricultural practices. Drought- prone areas in Jalgaon district face twin problems of low agricultural productivity as well as agricultural instability. Agricultural productivity is influenced by physical, socio-economic, and other factors. Thus, agricultural productivity is a function of interaction of physical and cultural variables and it reveals itself through per hectar productivity and total volume of production. The term productivity is generally, used rather proudly to denote the ratio of output to any or all associated inputs in real terms Kendrick’s J.W. (1961). The objectives of the study are to find out the regional imbalances in crop productivity and various agricultural development variables. To examine the circle wise spatial variations in agricultural productivity of important crops during 2000 to 2010, measured by the output per hectare. The data regarding the circle level yields per hectare for each crops were obtained with help of interviews of the landholders for the years from 2000 to 2010.

Introduction : Agriculture has been and will continue to be the lifeline of Jalgaon district economy. However, the productivity of the land in Jalgaon district is more than other districts in Maharashtra state. But the productivity of the drought - prone areas in Jalgaon district is very less. Agricultural productivity is a measure of overall performance of a region, which is quite useful in planning the developmental programme in rural areas. The development of irrigation facilities, Mechanization, agriculture product has been brought about by bringing additional area under cultivation, water management and better techniques evolved through agriculture research, pesticides and cropping practices. However, agriculture productivity differ very much from region to region in study area which needs a detail investigation. Objectives : To estimate the agricultural productivity of different crops during 2000 to 2010. To find out the circle wise spatial variations in crop productivity and agricultural development variables. Methodology : The sources of data of the present study depend upon the primary and secondary data. The productivity data at circle level is collected during fieldwork for selected crop groups for the study; were food grains, pulses, oilseeds and cash crops. The secondary data is collected from Tahsil offices of Jalgaon district, census Handbook of Jalgaon district for the year 2000 to 2010. The productivity is measured by the output per hectare and is computed by using the following Formula.

n Q1 1= 1 Y = ----------------------1 Creative-Common License For Detail Visit: www.emrj.net


n A1 1= 1 Where, Y = Agricultural productivity Q = Agricultural production of various crops A = Area of under production of various crops

Study Area : The area under study is at the southern part of Tapi river in Jalgaon district of Maharashtra State. The study area is located in drought prone areas of Jalgaon district. These drought - prone areas are identified by Dr. V. Subramanian (1987) review committee appointed by the Maharashtra state government. These drought - prone areas include the tehsils Amalner, Dharangaon, Parola, Erandol, Bhadgaon, Pachora, Chalisgaon, Jamner and Muktainagar. There are 47 circles included in these 9 tehsils, which are selected for the present study which cover an urban area of 51.50 sqkm. and rural area – 6943.04 sqkm. It lies between 200 11’ to 21013’north latitudes and 740 46’ to 760 24’ east longitudes (Fig. No. 1). The study area is a part of Deccan Plateau in Jalgaon district of Maharashtra state. Geographically, this study area can be divided into three Parts – 1) Hilly, 2) Plain and 3) Plateau area. The hilly areas occupied very little part of south and eastern side of study area while the plain area is situated along the vallies of left bank tributaries of Tapi river in Jalgaon district and to the south of Tapi River in Jalgaon district. The plateau area is situated in the above mentioned area. The study area is drained by Girna, Panjara, Bori and Waghur on the north side and Purna river on the east side. The region has good drainage network, but still is facing a problem of shortage of water for domestic and irrigation purposes. The climate of the study area is featured by a hot summer and general dryness during all seasons, except a few weeks in the southwest Monsoon season. The region gets maximum rains during month of July and August, being the rainy months of the year. The month of August gets the maximum rainfall. Normal rainfall is 750mm and average rainfall is 682.8mm. Result and Discussion Agricultural productivity : Agricultural development and productivity is influenced by physical, socio economic, institutional and organizational factors. It has been certainly influenced with the changes in traditional agricultural practices. Thus agricultural productivity is a function of interaction of physical and cultural variables and it reveals itself through per hectare productivity and total volume of production. Agricultural productivity is the relationship in physical quantities between input and output. The term productivity is generally used rather proudly to denote the ratio of output to any or all associated inputs in real terms Kendrick J.W.(1961). Thus it is clear that strictly productivity is a relationship between input and output. Productivity also improves if with a relatively smaller addition of inputs you get a proportionately longer output. It is relationship between output and input which determines productivity.

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Agricultural productivity has been computed world wide by many scholars using different method. These measures are frequently the correlation single input or a group of inputs or to a Part thereof. kendall m.c. (1939)(ranking co – efficient method) Enayadi G.Y. (1964), sapre and Deshapande, (1964) M. Shafi (1972), Jashir singh, (1976) and other geographers have applied different methods to determine agricultural productivity. It is utilized after revising the methods of Enayadi (Y/Yn T/Tn) For determining agricultural productivity of Great – Indian plain by M. Shafi. It is a ratio between production of all crops unit of area in the circle and combined yield rate of the same crops in the circle. To make it easier and to remove decimals this ratio can be divided by 100. Thus the result obtained would be index of productivity as percentage of district average. Agricultural productivity largely depends upon climate, terrain, soil, socio – economic condition such as size of holding, farming efficiency, capital, government policies and technological operation : like irrigation and mechanization etc. Environment, arable land, labour and capital are the chief determinants of agricultural productivity in any region. On account of the population explosion and limited land resources, agricultural productivity got special attention to increase crop production per hectare. From time to time, considerable efforts have been made to increase the productivity level. The measurement of agricultural productivity level helps in assisting the relative performance of areas and comparing their output. By delimiting the areas of low, medium and high productivity, agricultural plans may be formulated to remove and minimize the regional inequalities; it also provides an opportunity to ascertain the ground reality and to assess the causative factors behind agricultural backwardness of a region. The results obtained have been grouped into three productivity groups. Out of the selected crops Food grains, pulses, oilseeds and cash crops are the important crops of the study area. There is a wide variation in the yield of various crops in the study area. However, the yield of these crops has been increasing day by day due to the advent of new technologies, use of fertilizers and HYU seeds. It is to be noted that this increase in the yield of the crops has been at great quantity Bahal, Mehunbare, Bhadgaon, Amadade, Pachora, Galan, Dharangaon, Kasoda, Sonwad, Salve and Bharvas circles situated near the river valleys and the area covered by their canals (e.g. Girna project) but less in other areas due to coarse shallow soil, rugged topography and drought prone areas, i.e. Tamaswadi, Chorwad, Shirud, Nagaon, Neri, Maldabhadi, Jamner, Wakadi, Phattepur, Shendurni, Kurhe, Muktainagar and Anturli circles. High Productivity : (70 +) According to 2000 data following circles come under this category i:e like Mehunbare, Bahal, Shirasgaon, Kolgaon, Amadade, Bhadgaon, Pachora and Anturli. The productivity index ranging between 71 to 95. Whereas according to 2010 data the circles like Mehunbare, Shirasgaon, Kolgaon, Amadade, Bhadgaon, Gondgaon, Nandre, kuvhad,Pachora, Nagardevala, Galan, Pimpalgaon, Erondol, Kasoda, Pimpri, Marvad and Anturli which fall under this category. The productivity index ranging between 71 to 163. Medium Productivity (35 – 70) : Under this range of productivity circles namely Gondgaon, Nandre, Kurhad, Nagardevala, Pimpalgaon, Erandol, Kaooda, Salve, Sonwad, Paladhi, Pimpri, Dharangaon, Marvad, Bharvas and Muktainagar whereas according to 2010 data circles under this category are Bahal, Hatale, Khadaki, Salve, Sonwad, Paladhi, Dharangaon, Bharvas. Low Productivity (below 35) : In the circles like Chalisgaon, Khadaki, Talegaon, Galan, Bahadarpur, Shelve, Chorwad, Parola, Tamaswadi, Umarde, Amalgaon, Patonda, Nagaon, 3 Creative-Common License For Detail Visit: www.emrj.net


Amalner, Shirud, Neri, Maldabhadi, Jamner, Pahur, Shendurni, Wakdi, Phattepur and Kurhe low productivity is recorded. Hence the yield of crops is very low. The irrigation facilities are not developed. Rainfall is uncertain, thus the combined effect of all these factors leads to the low agricultural productivity. Agricultural Intensity or Cropping Intensity : Cropping intensity is also a measure of the agricultural productivity. Cropping intensity means raising a number of crops from the same field in the same agricultural year. It is defined as the extent to which the net area sown is cropped or resown. In other words, intensity of cropping refers to the number of crops raised on a field during an agricultural year. In the ‘new agricultural strategy’ priority has been given to the intensification of crop landuse for checking the widening gap between increasing human population and food production. Because, that in the present circumtances, when fragmentation and encroachment has reduced the cultivable area and pressure of population has increased on soil, only high cropping intensity can solve the basic food problem or the intensification of farming is an effective means of increasing the food production in the area. The cropping intensity is measured in the percentage ratio of the gross cropped area to the net sown area. It can be expressed by the formula as follows : GAS X 100 CI = -----------------NAS

Where, CI = Cropping Intensity, GAS = Gross cropped area, NAS = Net area sown.

The region as a whole has cropping intensity of 100 to 168 in 2000 and 102 to 166 in 2010 which means the percentage of area under double crop is significant considering the circle wise intensity of cropping from (Fig. no. 2 and Table no. 1). According to the above table there are four groups of cropping intensity they are as follows :

1) Low Cropping Intensity ( less than 112) : It becomes clear that 60% circles have cropping intensity below 112 in 2000. while the percentage of circles decreased up to 49% in 2010. According to 2000 data, circles under this range are Bahal, Hatale, Chalisgaon, Khadaki, Kolgaon, Kurhad, Pimpalgaon, Sonwad, Paladhi, Dharangaon, Amalgaon, Patonda, Bharvas, Neri, Maldabhadi, Jamner, Pachora, Shendurni, Wakadi, Nandre, Tamswadi, Marvad, Bahadarpur and Muktainagar. Whereas according to 2010 data circles under this category are bahal, Hatale, Chalisgaon, Khadki, Kolgaon, Kurhad, Pimpalgaon, Chorwad, Sonwad, Paldhi, Dharngaon, Amalgaon, Patonda, Nagaon, Bharvas, Neri, Maldabhadi, Jamner, Pahur, Shendurni, Wakadi, Phattepur and Muktainagar. 4 Creative-Common License For Detail Visit: www.emrj.net


2) Medium Cropping Intensity (112-125) : According to 2000 data, circles under this range are Mehunbare, Shirasgaon, Bhadgaon, Gondgaon, Nandre, Pachora, Nagardevala, Galan, Bahadarpur, Parola, Neri, Umarde, Salve, Pimpri, Shendurni, Amalner, Shirud, Phattepur, and Muktainagar while in 2010 the circles under same range are Talegaon, Mehunbare, Amadade, Shirasgaon, Sonwad, Paladhi, Dharangaon, Bharvas, Bhadgaon, Gondgaon, Nandre, Pachora, Galan, Parola, Tamswadi, Umrde, Pimpri, Marvad, Amalner and Shirud. 3) High cropping Intensity (125-138) : There were six circles namely Talegaon, Gondgaon, Shelave, Chorwad and Erandol fall in this category in 2000. whereas according to 2010 data there were 4 circles fall under this range. All these circles are situated along the major rivers which had perennial supply of irrigated water. 4) Very High cropping Intensity (more than 138) : There were two circles namely Amadade and Kasoda, during 2000 which had the index of cropping intensity more than 138. Whereas there were one circle namely Kasoda which had come under this range during 2010. All these circles are served by irrigation facilities over which they could cultivate the land more than once. Conclusion : The results reveal that many socio – economic as well as physical factors are responsible for existing spatial variations in circles of agricultural productivity. Productivity, yield / ha and per capita production of mentioned crops have increased tremendously due to the use of modern equipments application of high yielding varieties (HYV) of seeds, new water conservation and management schemes, pesticides etc. The gross cropped area of each circle is at a considerable quantity. The area under agriculture is about 75% in the study area which is a good sign of agricultural development. It is clear that the productivity is high in Bahal, Bhadgaon, Amadade, Pachora, Dharangaon, salve and Amalner circles which are located along the rivers and their canals. On the contrary, the productivity is very less in the circles – Chorwad, Parola, Bahadarpur, Jamner, Neri, Wakadi, Maldabhadi, Phattepur, Pahur and Kurhe due to coarse shallow soil, rough topography, hilly area and dearth of water. From the foregoing results it is clear that cropping intensity has increased with the use of modern agricultural inputs. References Bhall G.S. and Alagh Y.K.: Performance of Indian Agriculture A District (1977) wise study sterling publisher New Delhi. Kendall M.G. (1939), The Geographical Distribution of Crop Productivity in England, Journal of Royal Statistical Society, Vol. 162, pp.24-28 Kendrick, J.W. (1961, Productivity Trends in the United States, p.6. Sapre and Deshpande, (1964), Inter district Variation in Agricultural Productivity in Maharashtra state, Indian Journal of Agriculturaleconomic, Vol. 19,p, 242-252. Singh Jasbir (1976), An Agricultural Geography of Haryana, Kurukshetra (Haryana), Vishal Publications, p. 187. Patil A.A. (2004): Changes in agricultural productivity in Upper Bhima and Upper Krishna Basin in Maharashtra, unpublished Ph.D. thesis Shivaji University, Kolhapur 5 Creative-Common License For Detail Visit: www.emrj.net


Socio-economic review and district statistical abstract of Jalgaon District (2000, 2010) Sunita Singh (2012) : Agricultural Productivity and agricultural intensity in Rohtas District, Bihar, Inter- I.T.E.R & T Vol. 1 PP 1-11 District census handbook of Jalgaon district 2001, 2011. Rehman, H (2003), Spatial Distribution of Agricultural Productivity and Its Correlates in North Bihar Plain, The Grographer, Vol. 50, No. 1, , pp. 73-84, Jan.

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