AGRICULTURE AND IRRIGATION

VEGETABLES

The principal vegetables grown in the district are sweet potato, onion, brinjal, cabbage, tomato, ladys' finger radish, etc. The vegetables occupied an area of 935 hectares in 1961-62 and 1,416 hectares in 1967-68. The following table shows tahsil-wise area under different vegetables in the district for 1961-62, 1965-66, and 1967-68.

TABLE No. 22

Area under Vegetables* in Akola District in 1961-62, 1965-66 and 1967-68

(Area in hectares)

 *Only principal vegetables are given

Onion: Onion (kanda), a tuber vegetable, is grown all over the district. It occupied an area of 200 hectares out of a total area of 935 hectares under vegetables in 1961-62. During 1967-68 it accounted for 405 hectares out of a total area of 1,410 hectares.

The crop is grown both in kharif and rabi seasons. Onion seeds are sown in the specially prepared seed-beds and plants are transplanted after four to five weeks. The crop requires liberal manuring and watering. The bulbs are ready for harvesting in three months from transplantation. Under ideal conditions the yield of onions per acre comes to about 2,500 kg. to 3,000 kg.

Brinjal : Brinjal (wange) is another important vegetable grown on a considerable scale in the district. The crop occupied an area of 227 hectares in 1961-62 as against 243 hectares in 1967-68.

The crop is grown as an irrigated as well as a rain-fed crop on medium brown and rich soils. The seeds are sown in the seedbeds in the month of June and transplanted in July. The plants bear fruit in a period of four months after transplantation.

Bhendi : The crop is taken all over the district. In 1961-62 it covered an area of 77 hectares as against 81 hectares in 1967-68.

It is taken as a mixed crop with cotton and sugarcane. Seeds are sown in July and February, and harvested after six months Seeds are dibbled on both the sides of the ridges at a rate of 10 to 12 lbs. per acre. Plants are watered 5 to 6 times. The green pods are used as vegetables while the juice of the wild variety is used for purification of sugarcane juice at the time of gul making.

Cabbage : Cabbage (kobi) is produced on a small scale in the district. In 1961-62 an area of 79 hectares was under the cultivation of this crop. It rose to 107 hectares in 1967-68.

The seeds are sown in August on nursery beds and then trans planted after a month The crop is grown in winter where the soil is sandy loam and clay loam. It matures in three to four months time.

Sweet potato: Sweet potato (ratale), a root vegetable, occupied an area of 46 hectares in 1961-62 and 81 hectares in 1967-68.

Cuttings with three nodes are planted on both the sides of the ridges. It requires 5 to 6 cart loads of manure and regular irrigation The crop is ready for harvest within six month. Ratale is eaten green, boiled or roasted The leaves are used as fodder for cattle.

Tomato: tomato is mainly grown during winter It covered an area of 34 hectares in 1961 62 and 59 hectares in 1967-68.

Tomato seeds are sown in seed-beds and seedlings are trans-planted in a period of about four weeks. Two seedlings are transplanted together. The crop requites frequent irrigation and heavy manuring. It is harvested after about 3 months. Green tomatoes are used as a vegetable, while ripe ones are either eaten or used in various preparations.

Carrot: Carrot (gajar) is grown in medium black soil in both the kharif and rabi seasons. The crop is harvested within three months from sowing. This crop occupied an area of 32 hectares in 1961-62. and 15 hectares in 1965-66.

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