Drip irrigation gains ground in western Maha

  • | Tuesday | 21st March, 2017

"The area under sugarcane comprises the largest share of the drip irrigation, followed by fruit gardens, poly houses and shed net houses. We have appealed to farmers to take up inter-crops in sugar cane cultivation to boost the production with help of drip irrigation. Ample availability of water in rivers have refrained farmers from Kolhapur district from taking up drip irrigation. Kolhapur: Nearly 35,000 hectares across three districts of western Maharashtra have been brought under drip irrigation , a sustainable form of farming advocated by experts.Interestingly, officials from the agriculture department claimed that a lion's share of the move towards drip irrigation has come from sugar cane farmers. But the district should come forward for the drip irrigation.

Kolhapur: Nearly 35,000 hectares across three districts of western Maharashtra have been brought under drip irrigation , a sustainable form of farming advocated by experts.Interestingly, officials from the agriculture department claimed that a lion's share of the move towards drip irrigation has come from sugar cane farmers. Sugar cane cultivation is usually blamed for high water consumption, but was not a major worry in this water-rich part of the state till last year.After an unprecedented drought in the area last year, there were calls from several quarters demanding curbs on water utilisation for sugar cane cultivation and a move to drip irrigation.Figures from the state agriculture department in Kolhapur division show that around 34,924 hectare has come under the drip irrigation in last five years between 2012-13 to 2016-17. The Kolhapur division, comprises Satara, Sangli and Kolhapur districts, is known for sugar cane cultivation and its record recovery per hectare. The fertile land and sufficient availability of water boosted sugar production in the region.Sangli district has topped in the area brought under drip irrigation in last five years with 19,306 hectare, followed by Satara district with 11,290 hectares.In comparison, the performance of Kolhapur district has been poor with just 4,328 hectare brought under drip irrigation.Vast tracts of Sangli, Satara districts are under sugar cane, horticulture, vegetables, shed house and greenhouse farming cultivation. "The area under sugarcane comprises the largest share of the drip irrigation, followed by fruit gardens, poly houses and shed net houses. We have appealed to farmers to take up inter-crops in sugar cane cultivation to boost the production with help of drip irrigation."An official from the joint directorate office in Kolhapur said the black fertile soil in the region and the flow of major rivers originating in the Western Ghats has been a major boost for agriculture growth in the area."But since the last few years, the water canvas has changed. The uncertainty of rainfall, declining level of groundwater and campaigning from agriculture scientific community has resulted in increase in drip irrigation," he said.He added, "The uncertainty has influenced more farmers in Sangli and Satara districts to move towards drip irrigation, but not those in Kolhapur. Ample availability of water in rivers have refrained farmers from Kolhapur district from taking up drip irrigation. But the district should come forward for the drip irrigation. It is the sustainable way of farming."

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