5.1 INTRODUCTION - Shodhgangashodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/29282/11/11... · 2018-07-09 · 5.1 INTRODUCTION: Cropping pattern refers to the proportion of area under

Cropping Pattern Of The Canal Command Area 114

5.1 INTRODUCTION:

Cropping pattern refers to the proportion of area under different crops at any given point

of time in a unit area, or the yearly sequence or spatial arrangement of crops on a given

area. Cropping activities may run all the year round, provided water is ava ilable for crops.

It may be of different types such as inter cropping, mixed cropping & crop rotation. The

agricultural lands when are occupied by one crop, called as mono cropping, or by two

crops, called as double cropping, or more than two crops, termed as multiple cropping. As

per availability of water, cropping pattern varies. The prevalent cropping patterns are the

cumulative results of past & present decisions by individuals. These decisions are usually

based on experience, tradition, expected profit, personal performances, Govt. support &

so on.

In the Mayurakshi Canal Command area intensive cropping pattern is classified as Kharif

& Rabi season cropping patterns. Among the Kharif crops Aman paddy is highly grown

& among the Rabi crops Boro paddy, Wheat & Oilseeds are grown.

In the following explication the cropping pattern its characteristics, causes of changes &

consequences have been explained.

5.2 CROP CALENDAR:

Mapping of crop calendar is a method of interpretation of agricultural practices at

regional level. Crop calendar shows the raising of crops in an area throughout the year &

it indicates the percentage of areas of the crops individual to the gross cropped area of

that place.

Different crops are grown in different season according to fluctuation in the physical,

cultural & ecological conditions, particularly the socio-economic constraints.

Demand & food habits also play an important role in crop calendar which reflects the

suitability & adaptability of crops to local ecological condition, such as local relief, soil

characteristics & the utilization of ground water. In accordance with soil characteristics,


soil fertility, availability of water resources such as surface & ground water, different

crops are grown in different season.

5.2.1 Crop Calendar Status of 1985-86:

In the judgment of crop calendar the produced crops of this area have been divided into

four categories (after Jasbir Singh, 1984) such as dominant crops that are first-rank crops,

major crops occupying over 15 percent of the cropped area, secondary crops 5 to 15

percent & minor crops under 5 percent (consult table no. 5.1) of the cropped area.

Table 5.1 PERCENTAGE OF CROPPED AREA IN THE YEAR OF 1985 -86

Crops Muraroi

I & II

Nalhati I

& II

Rampurhat

I & II Md.bazar

Mayuresh

war I II

Suri I &

II Sainthia

Aman 61 56 47 50 47 48 51

Boro 4 6.6 10 16 10 19 13

Aus 2 2 5.6 6.2 5.6 10 9.5

Oilseeds 11 17 15 15 15 9 10.5

Wheat 9.2 7 8 5 8 5 7

Pulses 10 9 6 6 6 4.6 5

Potato 1.6 1.6 6.2 0.9 6.2 2.4 2.6

Sugarcane 0.14 0 0 0 0 0.87 1.4

Bhadoi kalai 0.3 0 0 0 0 0.75 0.1

Jute 0.24 0.08 0.96 0.01 0.96 0.02 0.03

Mug&Miskalai 0 0.4 0.3 0.5 0.3 0 0

Crops Labpur Dubrajpur Illambazar Bolpur Nanoor Bharatpur

I & II Burwan

Aman 63.3 54 66 55 59 61.4 45

Boro 14.4 3 3 6 2.4 12.4 19

Aus 2 5 5 10.1 17 4.4 4

Oilseeds 8.3 14 9 10 8.6 7.3 7

Wheat 5.3 13 6.8 9.6 5 6.5 11

Pulses 3 7 7.2 6.8 6.3 3.7 3

Potato 3.1 2 1.9 1.5 1 2.8 9

Sugarcane 0 0 0.86 0.65 0 0 1.2

Bhadoi kalai 0 0 0 0.25 0 0 0.3

Jute 0.01 0.1 0.2 0.06 0.04 1 0.3

Mug&Miskalai 0.4 0.8 0 0 0.2 0.3 0.5

Aman 50 61 49 75 55 28 71

Contd..


Crops Kandi Khar

gram

Naba

gram Sagardighi

Raghunath

ganj I Suti I

Ketugram

I & II

412Boro 21 17 27 2 1 10 0

Aus 9 3.9 1.6 6 10 15.1 5

Oilseeds 4 6.3 5 5 15 8.2 8

Wheat 7 6 11 4 6 12 2.3

Pulses 3.7 4 1.5 2.1 7 15 0.02

Potato 2.4 1 0.7 1.9 0.7 1 0.5

Sugarcane 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Bhadoi kalai 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Jute 2.3 0.2 3 3 4 9.8 12

Mug&Miskalai 0.5 0.1 0.4 0.5 0.8 0.7 0.3

Source: District Agricultural Office, Birbhum, Murshidabad, Burdwan.

Before the full phased completion of the project there were varieties of crops produced in

every canal command area. Aman paddy was the dominant crop, Boro paddy was the

major crop, Aus paddy, Oilseeds, Wheat & Pulses were the secondary crops while Potato

& vegetables; Jute & Mesta were the minor crops.

These varieties of crops were produced due to intensity of irrigation not only through

canals but also through tanks & Govt. regulated tube wells. The other sources of irrigation

also helped the irrigation system in all season, so that all varieties of crops were

produced.

The characteristic of rainfall was as meager & erratic, as now but the distribution o f water

through canals was under regulation. Water could pass through lock gates easily because

of heavy sand burden behind the barrages. Storage capacity was high for supplying water

in the dry season. Farmers are dependent not only to the canals but also used to use other

traditional sources of irrigation system such as tanks, river lift & lift irrigation through

tube wells.

In all areas under the canal command, Aus was the secondary crop as it occupied more

than 9 percent cropped area averagely. This was cultivated with the supply of water

through canals & deep tanks which were fed by rainwater.

Commercial crops such as Jute & Mesta, Sugarcane, Oilseeds, and Pulses were regularly

produced as water supply was assured.


Fig. No. 5.1



Mayurakshi irrigation project was completed in 1985. After the full completion of the

project canals were started to supply water in all season. Surplus water changed the

cropping pattern. Aman, the dominant crop occupied more than 70 percent of cropped

areas in an average. In dry season canal water also supplied water to produce Rabi crops,

such Boro paddy & Oilseeds. All the other commercial crops were started to vanish from

the crop calendar (consult table no.5.2).

Full supply of canal water motivated farmers to produce staple food much more. Sainthia,

Md. Bazar, Suri at the head reach of the canal command getting much more water from

the discharge of Tilpara barrage were getting heavily interested to produce Aman paddy

in the Kharif season. So more than 80 percent of cropped areas were under the cultivation

of Aman, which is heavily water needed crop.

Bolpur, Illambazar has also used to receive much more water from the discharge of Kopai

barrage through Kopai South Main Canal & its distributaries so more than 80 percent of

area under Aman paddy cultivation (consult table no. 5.2). These areas were highly

dependent on the canal water being reluctant to use other sources of irrigation system.

Part of Dubrajpur under the canal command also started to produce maximum Aman

paddy getting full water from the Bakreswer weir.

Table 5.2 PERCENTAGE OF CROPPED AREA IN THE YEAR OF 1995-96

Crops Muraroi

I & II

Nalhati I

& II

Rampurhat

I & II Md.bazar

Mayureshwar

I II Suri I & II Sainthia

Aman 73 72 74 83 65.5 91.4 82

Boro 9 11 6 6 12 2.1 6

Aus 1 1 0 0 4.2 0 0

Oilseeds 7 10 13 5.9 7 3.5 4.1

Wheat 6 4.8 5 4 3.7 2.3 4

Pulses 1.5 0.4 0.52 0 0.3 0.1 0.2

Potato 1.7 0.8 0.8 1 6.7 0.53 3

Sugarcane 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Bhadoi

kalai 0 0 0 0 0.4 0 0.25

Jute 0.6 0 0.02 0 0.05 0 0

Mug

&Miskalai 0 0 0.2 0 0 0 0

Contd..


Crops Labpur Dubraj

pur

Illam

bazar Bolpur Nanoor

Bharatpur

I & II Burwan

Aman 67 90.5 89.5 80 60.5 62 52

Boro 20 0 5 7 19 14 13

Aus 1 0 0 5 11 5.4 2

Oilseeds 8 2.1 2 4 0.7 8 15

Wheat 0.9 5 1.9 2 2 3.4 7

Pulses 0.03 0 0.8 0.4 0.03 3 6.8

Potato 3 1.9 0.3 1.4 0.3 2 7

Sugarcane 0 0 0 0 0 0.8 1

Bhadoi

kalai 0 0 0 0 0.05 0 0

Jute 0 0.08 0 0 0 0.9 0.03

Mug

&Miskalai 0 0.1 0 0 0 0 0

Crops Kandi Khar

gram

Naba

gram

Sagar

dighi

Raghunath

ganj I Suti I

Ketugram

I & II

Aman 56 65 56 71 55 36 51

Boro 22 15.4 27 7.5 19 24 34

Aus 6 4.2 3 3.5 2 8 7.4

Oilseeds 5 6.2 7 7 8.6 6 6

Wheat 2 3.8 4 6 3 14 0.3

Pulses 3 3.7 1.2 4.5 12 11 0.2

Potato 4.8 1 1 0.7 0.4 0.9 0.7

Sugarcane 0 0.65 0 0 0 0 0

Bhadoi

kalai 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Jute 1 0.05 0 0 0 0 0.1

Mug

&Miskalai 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Source: District Agricultural Office, Birbhum, Murshidabad, Burdwan

For its undulating relief character, hard rocky granitic geological structure, lifting

irrigation as is limited, so Durajpur was dependent in maximum on the supply of canal

water.

Labpur, Nanoor & Bharatpur lie far away from the main discharge of Tilpara barrage, so

they do receive water through the distributary canals. Their distant position forced them

not only to be dependent on the canals but also on the other sources of irrigation such as

lifting irrigation through tube wells (privately owned & Govt. regulated), so cropped

areas were distributed to produce other Rabi crops such as Oilseeds, Potato, Wheat &

Maize along with Kharif crop i.e. Aman paddy.


Before rainy season they also used to uplift tank water & underground water for Aus

paddy production, so the use of other sources of irrigation system tried to maintain the as

usual crop calendar as before.

In the north of Mayurakshi River, high slope towards east did support the canal water

supply in eastern part of all areas through the number of distributaries.

Rampurhat-I & II, after received much more water from Dwarka weir through Dwarka

Brahmani Main & Branch Canal; Nalhati-I&II & Muraroi-I&II from Brahmani barrage

through Brahmani North Main Canal & its distributaries were heavily dependent on the

supply of canal water & more than 70 percent of cropped areas (consult table no. 5.2)

were under Aman paddy cultivation.

These areas are to depend not only from the main discharge of Tilpara barrage but also to

Dwarka weir & Brahmani barrage. So the variable nature of rainfall disturbs the storage

of water behind the barrage.

As the farmers of this concerned areas were highly interested & engaged in Aman paddy

production through canal irrigation, so after the rainy season, due to short & irregular

supply they were not interested to produce other Rabi crops, so the areas only near the

canals having little water were started to produce Rabi crops. Maximum areas were left as

wasted. The areas of Rabi crops were sharply decreased. Khargram & Kandi are the

areas where cropped area under Aman cultivation was changed but not as large as

comparative to other areas. These areas were used to use the other sources of irrigation

systems such as tanks & tube wells that helped for Rabi cropped areas. Burwan belongs to

depressed region so it received water maximum all over the season. So the crops calendar

was maintained as usual. Ketugram-I&II are at the tail end and so it did not enjoy from

the past much more canal water & used to use other sources of irrigation through shallow

& deep tube wells, so crop calendar was maintained as comparing to 1981 (consult table

no. 5.2).


The long practice of canal irrigation raises some problems that disturbed the crop

calendar. Farmers were absolutely habituated with the easy source of water through

canals leaving the other sources of irrigation. So tanks, storage of rainwater were getting

started to be silted up for not regular maintenance before the rainy season.


Farmers paid least water tax to the tax collectors. The amount was less in comparison to

lift irrigation. So canal irrigation was very much attractive to them up to when they used

to receive the water. But with graduation of time storage capacity at the dams & barrages

has been declined. Due to heavy sand deposition behind the dams & barrages, much more

rain water now cannot be stored behind the dams & barrages so water supply is now only

in the rainy season when heavy rains, while in the dry season canals are becoming as

dried nallas (small rivulets). This short supply of water heavily hampers the crop

calendar.

Only Aman as dominant, Boro as secondany & Oilseeds as minor crop now are being

produced. All other commercial crops now occupy least portion of land & are not

regularly produced.

Aman gets water from the canals as well as from the sky as rain. Boro is produced

through shallow & deep tube wells. Want of water before rains completely vanished Aus

paddy production.

In every canal command area wheet was grown as secondary crops but now (consult table

no. 5.3) the farmers get more profit from the rice cultivation rather than the wheat, so

more areas are harvested for paddy cultivation, Aman in rainy season & Boro in winter.

Table 5.3 PERCENTAGE OF CROPPED AREA IN THE YEAR OF 2005 -06

Crops Muraroi I &

II

Nalhati

I & II

Rampurhat

I & II Md.bazar

Mayureshwar

I & II

Suri

I & II Sainthia

Aman 60 59 59 74 62 76 65

Boro 9 8 14 5.86 12 18 24

Aus 0.2 0.3 0.2 0 1.3 0.6 0.02

Oilseeds 11 14 11 7 7.3 2.5 5

Wheat 12 9 12 0.6 5 1.6 1

Pulses 6 7.7 2 2 3 0.4 0.2

Potato 0.9 1.5 0.7 5.4 8 0.9 4.7

Sugarcane 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Bhadoi

kalai 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Jute 0.4 0 0.5 0 0.1 0 0

Mug

&Miskalai 0.3 0.5 0.6 0.1 1 0 0.01

Contd..


Crops Labpur Dubrajpur Illambazar Bolpur Nanoor Bharatpur

I & II Burwan

Aman 63 81 73 57 63 53 42

Boro 19 9 20 24 16 24 29

Aus 0.6 0 0.04 7 5 0.03 5.2

Oilseeds 9.5 3.6 4 6.8 10 13 9

Wheat 3 5 1.2 1.9 3.2 5 5

Pulses 1.7 0.2 1 0.7 1.9 3.6 0.2

Potato 0.5 1.2 0.4 2.2 1.8 1 5

Sugarcane 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Bhadoi

kalai 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Jute 0 0 0 0 0 0.19 0

Mug

&Miskalai 0.9 0 0 0 0 0 1.3

Crops Kandi Khargram Nabagram Sagardighi Raghunath

ganj I Suti I

Ketugram

I & II

Aman 40 48 36 53 52 39 63

Boro 38 34 27 15 14 9 28

Aus 3.4 0.5 3 1 0 2.8 0.3

Oilseeds 6 14 14 13 13 12.7 6.3

Wheat 8 3 11 11 8 13 0.68

Pulses 1.8 0 8 5 11 9.7 0.2

Potato 0 0.3 0.3 0.6 0.5 11 0.5

Sugarcane 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Bhadoi

kalai 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Jute 1 0 0 0.5 0 0.8 0.7

Mug

&Miskalai 1.7 0 0 0.4 0 0 0


Erratic or meager rainfall in rainy season hampers the canal irrigation system as so

vigorously that the areas under Aman cultivation have been lessened. The farmers do not

get assured rainfall during the growing of paddy seedlings. Lack of ce rtainty for having

canal water Aman paddy production is being hampered along with the deduction in Aman

paddy produced area, while farmers receive assured water when it is needed in winter

season through tube wells, so they produce Boro paddy with sure success as major crop.

Along with Boro paddy, Oilseeds, Wheat are produced as secondary crops. Hence crops

calendar has been changed. This changing nature indicates the advancement of lifting

irrigation system through tube wells.


Fig. No. 5.2


5.3 CROPPING PATTERN:

Cropping pattern is the extent of the proportion of arable land under various crops at a

time. The cropping patterns of a region are closely influenced by the geo climatic, socio-

economic variables. Depending on the terrain characteristics, temperature, rainfall amount

& its reliability, soil productivity & availability of water for irrigation, the cropping

patterns vary. With an assured water supply & availability of modern inputs especially

high yielding varieties of seeds & commercial fertilizers, it becomes possible for the

farmers to replace less profitable crops with more profitable ones & also to enhance the

intensity of the use of the available land by growing two or even three crops on the same

field in a year.

In cropping pattern each crop has been given its position in terms of percentage in

relation to the total cropped area of an areal unit. This may be expressed as:-

Cp=[Ca÷N,Cb÷N,Cc÷N……….Cr÷N] Χ 100

Where

Cp = the cropping pattern

Ca, Cb, Cc……… Cr the Cropped area under crops

a, b, c ………..r in a block.

N = total cropped area the same block.

a, b, c, ….r = the crops i.e. Aman, Boro, Wheat, Oilseeds, Pulses and etc.

The percentage strength of all the crops thus worked out & has been shown in the table

no.5.1, 5.2 &5.3. Since the Mayurakshi Canal Command Area is agrarian region, food

grains cultivation is extremely important & more than 70 percent of the total cropped area

is cropped under paddy cultivation.

An examination of the above mentioned table (no.5.1, 5.2, 5.3) reveals that the cropping

pattern is traditional, inferior & poor & very little attention is paid to the commercial

crops. To feed the ever increasing population much more areas are under subsistence

paddy cultivation.

Mayurakshi Canal command area belongs to mainly Birbhum district & part of

Murishidabad lying in the western part of Bhagirathi River & Ketugram-I & II of


Burdwan district. The climate is characterized mainly hot & dry summer, cold winter,

meager & irregularity of rainfall.

Meager & erratic rainfall & soil moisture deficit force the farmers to restrict themselves

to only one main food crop i.e. paddy in each crop season.

Less skilled farming & lack of proper crop selection resulted in cropping pattern of poor

quality & low level of agricultural production, making specialization in Aman & Boro

paddy.

In all areas under the canal command 80-90 percent of the total cropped areas are under

Aman & Boro Paddy cultivation. Irrigation intensity of this region supports only the

intensified paddy cultivation. There is no improvement in commercial crops.

In this area, small operational holdings, scatteredly distributed plots, forced the farmers

tend to be subsistence despite innovation diffusion. They cannot take any risk as because

of less input of high degree of commercialization. Irrigation intensity of this region

supports only the intensified paddy cultivation, no more improvement in commercial

crops.

Commercial crops such as Oilseeds, Sugarcane, Pulses, and Jute & Mesta are limited in

this area as because of several economic or man-made factors. Farmers are unwilling to

try a crop & its adaptability to the local farming methods on farms.

Economic factors e.g. marketing & transport facilities are not available in a large scale.

For example Sugarcane is now only produced for local use not for marketing as because

there is no sugar crushing factory & collection point of juice. No modern transport system

is available so as to increase the Sugarcane production although the soil & climate is

highly suitable for sugarcane cultivation.

Due to least facilities available, commercial crops such as Sugarcane, Jute are minor

crops, so, in cropping pattern these are eliminated.

The cropping patterns may be intensified with the help of high yielding short duration

varieties of seeds. But cultivators should be flexible to accept it. Heavy capital investment

is necessary by the Govt. level. Scientific rotation of cops (Aman – Pulses – Oil seeds –


Flowers – Vegetable), multiple cropping may help in overcoming the food & raw material

problems.

5.4 CROPPING INTENSITY:

Cropping Intensity means percentage of area under different crops to gross cropped area

in a particular year.

In this chapter it deals with the Kharif & Rabi crops intensity. Higher the intensity shows

the higher the level of interest in the production of the crops. Interaction between various

factors such as physiographic, climatic, edaphic, hydrological, socio-economic, techno-

organizational directly gives an effect on the intensity of crops.

All the areas under this canal command show higher Kharif crops intensity. Average

rainfall of this region is 144.2 cm. So it receives much more rain water but its nature is

irregular. It is higher variable, less persistent (consult table 3.4), so farmers are to depend

other sources of water such as canals. As rice is the main staple food of this region,

farmers tend to produce Aman paddy in large scale from their field with the help of rain

water mainly & also from the canal water. Erratic nature of rainfall, steep relief & soil

character affects the Kharif crops production.

5.4.1 Change in Cropping Intensity in 1985:

In Nanoor & Illambazar under Birbhum district more than 70 percent of total cropped

area are engaged to produce Kharif crops mainly Aman. 17 percent of total cropped areas

are invested for Aus production in the year of 1985 (see table no. 5.4)

In all the other areas under Birbhum district 50-60 percent of total cropped area are

placed for Kharif crop production (vide fig. no. 5.3). As Rice is the main staple food, soil

highly suitable for paddy cultivation (as pH value ranges from 5-6 vide fig. no.3.21)

farmers were getting more interest in Kharif crop production with the easy availability of

water.

Sagardighi & Ketugram invested more than 75 percent of total cropped area in Kharif

crop production. Along with Aman paddy, Aus, Jute also were produced occupying more

than 10 percent of total cropped area.


Table: 5.4 DECADAL CHANGE IN CROPPING INTENSITY

Blocks

Kharif Cropped Area in

percentage

Rabi Cropped Area in

percentage

1985-86 1995-96 2005-06 1985-

86 1995-96 2005-06

Muraroi-I & II 66 74 62 34 26 38

Nalhati-I & II 62 73 60 38 27 40 Rampurhat-I & II 57 75 62 43 25 38

Md.Bazar 64 83 74 36 17 26 Mayureshwar-I & II 55 70 66 45 30 34

Suri-I & II 60 87 77 40 13 23

Sainthia 63 83 65 37 17 35 Labpur 67 68 64 33 32 36

Dubrajpur 91 91 81 9 9 19 Illambazar 73 89 73 27 11 27

Bolpur 67 86 65 33 14 35 Nanoor 76 72 68 24 28 32

Bharatpur-I & II 70 72 53 30 28 47 Burwan 55 58 49 45 42 51

Kandi 63 68 49 37 32 51 Khargram 66 69 46 34 31 54

Nabagram 60 60 40 40 40 60 Sagardighi 86 76 54 14 24 46

Raghunathganj-I 71 57 45 29 43 55 Suti-I 54 44 53 46 56 47

Ketugram-I & II 80 66 65 20 34 35 Source: District Agricultural Office, Birbhum, Murshidabad, Burdwan

Source:District Agricultural Office of Birbhum, Murshidabad & Burdwan

Fig. No.5.3

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Are

a u

nd

er C

rop

s in

per

cen

tage

Blocks

CHANGE IN CROPPING INTENSITY 1985

Area under kharif crops (%) Area under Rabi crops (%)


Demand of Jute in that period made it profitable to the farmers. Population was not as so

high as now, so subsistence Aman paddy production was sufficient of them.

In the dry season Boro, Gram & Pulses, Wheat & Maize, Oilseeds, Potato& Vegetables

were grown as Rabi crops.

During the period 1985 all the areas could get irrigated through canals after the rainy

season. Other sources of irrigation such as Tank, Govt. owned tube wells were running in

full scale so the areas were cultivated to produce Rabi crops. Oilseeds were produced as

commercial crops & Boro paddy & wheat as food grains.

5.4.2 Change in Cropping Intensity in 1995:

After 1985, the canal irrigation system was fully set up on work. Canals were all started

to release water in heavy amount in rainy season & also in winter for Rabi crops.

Maximum assured water supply through canals encouraged the farmers for subsistence

paddy cultivation both in Kharif & Rabi season (see table no. 5.4). In Kharif season they

only produced Aman paddy leaving the other Kharif crops. Easy water supply through

canals made them interested mainly in Aman. It fulfilled green revolution technology.

As canals supplied water in dry Rabi season, they were also interested to grow Boro

Paddy, Wheat & Maize and Oilseeds. But the areas occupied by Rabi crops mainly by

Boro paddy other Rabi crops those were grown during one decade before were coming in

back.

As subsistence Aman was produced in large scale, farmers were not interested to produce

other crops mainly commercial crops, as because they were not skilled in agricultural

technology. Govt. was not aware to supply assistance to encourage them for other less

water demanding crops to enhance the national economy.

Lacking of agricultural knowhow, proper Govt. support farmers did not want to take risk

at this stage because of unpredictable pricing structure, marketing hazards etc.

5.4.3 Change in Cropping Intensity in 2005.

With the graduation of time dams & barrages were getting obstructed with sand deposit,

canals were being started chocked for shortage of water beyond rainy season. Short flow


of canal water made the farmers to depend on the other sources of irrigation such as deep

& shallow tube wells which lifted ground water when it is needed to the farmers, avoiding

water logging.

This ensured water supply from ground water, farmers again are being in work for

investing more areas under Rabi crop production.

When heavy rainfall occurs in the upper catchment areas of the rivers which control this

canal irrigation system, lessening the water storage capacity behind the dams & barrages,

all the canals carry water then to the field only during the rainy season. The variable

nature cannot ensure the farmers for regular supply of canal water so they produce Aman

paddy as only one Kharif crop in the Kharif season. The areas near the main, branch &

distributary canals are used for Kharif crops production mainly Aman paddy. Other

Kharif crops are now left behind. The irregular & uncertain supply of canal water during

also rainy season has lessened the areas under Kharif crops production (see table 5.4)

Source: District Agricultural Office of Birbhum, Murshidabad & Burdwan

Fig. No. 5.4

As canals cannot carry much more water also in rainy season so it is now beyond the

estimation to the farmers to have canal water in the dry season. So they now only depend

on the shallow tube wells which are privately owned & controlled and also depend on

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Are

a u

nd

er C

rop

s in

per

cen

tage

Blocks

CHANGE IN CROPPING INTENSITY 2005

Area under kharif crops (%) Area under Rabi crops (%)


deep Govt. owned tube wells. But their dependency is much more on shallow tube wells

as they are operated & regulated systematically when water is needed to the crops. So

production has been ensured. The certainty of production dragged more areas under Rabi

crops mainly Boro paddy cultivation.

Where much more areas are under Aman paddy production, the areas under Boro paddy

are less there. Dubrajpur, the areas in between Bakreswar weir & Kopai barrage is

irrigated heavily by Bakreswar Kopai Main canal. & Bakreswar Branch Canal, so

maximum areas (81%) are invested for Aman cultivation (see table 5.4 – 2005-06) (vide

fig. no. 5.4).

The cultural habits of this area forced the farmers to produce only paddy not the other

crops. No technological application in agricultural practice, lacking of Govt. controlled

marketing facilities, no scope of large scale practice of sericulture, horticulture, wanting

of cold storages, make the farmers to follow their traditional agricultural practice.

The researcher suggests the use of modern technology, less water needed cultivation

methods & fall support of the Govt. by making co-operative among the farmers for the

overall development of agricultural economy of this region.

5.5 CROP DIVERSIFICATION :

Diversification in agriculture refers to the shift from the regional do minance of one crop

to regional production of a number of crops, to meet ever increasing demand for cereals,

pulses, vegetables, fruits, oilseeds etc.

Agricultural diversification is a normal feature of stable agriculture & progressive farm

management. This is possible by modern irrigation & the liberal use of fertilizers, high-

yielding varieties of seeds, pesticides & technological inputs. Besides, there are other

factors which force the cultivators to take to crop, livestock or agricultural enterprise

diversification.

First, vagaries of weather compel the farmers to grow a number of crops or practice

varieties of other activities on their operational holdings so as to get some return under

adverse weather condition.

Second, rural life & traditional farming practice force them to have most of their domestic

needs from their holdings.


Third, for agricultural sustainability, maintaining soil fecundity, gainful employment at

farm throughout the year, crop diversification is being emphasized by the agriculture

experts.

For investigation of spatial patterns of crop diversification in Mayurakshi canal command

area, the researcher used the following modified formula after Jasbir Singh (1976).

Index of crop diversification =

Percentage of total harvested area under ‘n’ crops ÷ Number of ‘n’ crops.

Where ‘n’ crops are Aman, Boro, Wheat, Pulses, Oilseeds etc. those which individually

occupy 5 percent or more of the total harvested area.

The indices of crops diversification derived as such are mapped & exhibit very significant

spatial pattern of crop diversification in this canal command area.

Lower the index value shows more the diversification & higher the index more the

specialization.

The magnitude of diversification reflects the impact of physical, socio-economic &

technological influents. Agricultural diversification shows the competition for agricultural

land among different crops & adoption of judicious crop rotation to maintain soil

fecundity with a mixed farming system rather than crop specialization.

In case of specialization or monoculture, the competition for agricultural land occupancy

is weak.

5.5.1 Change in Crop Diversification for the Year of 1985:

From Table 5.5, it has been noticed that there was found diversified nature of crops.

Rampurhat-I&II, Md. Bazar, Mayureshwar-I&II, Suri_I&II, Sainthia, Dubrajpur,

Illambazar, Bolpur in Birbhum district, Bharatpur-I&II, Burwan, Suti-I in Murshidabad

district are characterized by the diversification of crops. 5 to 7 crops are occupied more

than 5 percent of total harvested area. This diversification indicates the agricultural health

of this canal command area.

Supply of water through main, branch & distributary canals throughout the year,


application of other sources of irrigation such as tanks, Govt. owned tube wells, river lift,

encouraged in crops diversification that maintained the soil fertility enhancing

nitrogenous status to this soil, agricultural economy along with the sustainability of arable

land.

Table: 5.5 INDEX OF CROP DIVERS IFICATION

Blocks

Crop Diversification

YEAR

1985 1995 2005

Muraroi-I & II 23 24 20

Nalhati-I & II 20 25 20

Rampurhat-I & II 16 25 24

Md.Bazar 16 32 20

Mayureshwar-I & II 14 23 19

Suri-I & II 16 47 47

Sainthia 16 44 31

Labpur 23 32 31

Dubrajpur 19 48 32

Illambazar 19 47 47

Bolpur 16 31 24

Nanoor 20 24 24

Bharatpur-I & II 18 22 24

Burwan 19 18 16

Kandi 22 22 23

Khargram 23 28 32

Nabagram 22 30 19

Sagardighi 29 23 19

Raghunathganj-I 17 22 20

Suti-I 14 16 16

Ketugram-I & II 24 25 32


This kind of diversification also generated more employment as the farmers &

agricultural workers remain busy in the sowing, weeding, harvesting & marketing of

different crops throughout the year.

Mararoi-I&II, Nalhati-I&II, Labpur, Nanoor, Kandi, Khargram, Nabagram, Sagradighi &

Ketugram-I&II are the areas which show comparatively less diversification of crops (vide

fig. no. 5.5). Four to five crops were grown. As these areas are too far distance to receive

much more water through canals all over the season, they could not produce number of

crops investing more than 5 percent of cropped area, tending specialization rather than

diversification.


After one decade with the graduation of time & with the complete support of full canal

water in Kharif season, farmers tend to accept specialization rather than diversification.

Burwan & Suti-I only under the diversification in crops five to six crops were grown.

Located at a depressed physical structure the former one area received much more water

through canals to produce number of crops occupying more than 5 percent of the cropped

area. Suti-I (vide fig. no. 3.10) belongs to flat riverine tract of Pagla basin to receive much

more water from river lift, tanks & tube wells for diversified crop production.

Fig. No. 5.5

Muraroi-I&II, Nalhati-I&II, Naroor, Ketugram, Bharatpur-I&II, Kandi, Khargram

Sagardighi, are the areas lying at a distance from the main discharge of Tilpara barrage,

so they do not get much more water in the dry season through the distributaries of branch

canals.

Canal & rain water supply to the fields in the Kharif season forced the farmers tending

towards specialization. Rampurhat-I&II where diversification prevailed one decade

before (vide fig.no.5.5), only four crops are harvested indicating the nature of

specialization. Want of much more water in the dry season, steep cast ward slope, high


relief at western part of Rampurhat-I (vide fig. no. 3.3) did not support the other sources

of irrigation in large scale. Deficiency & irregularity of water through canals when

rainfall is scarce, agricultural production is highly hampered. It cannot be minimized with

the help of other sources of irrigation. Physical & economical constraints are responsible

for that.

Suri-I&II, Sainthia, Dubrajpur & Illambazar are the areas where five to six crops were

grown one decade before but high availability of canal water (vide plate no. 5.3 & 5.4)

only in rainy season, changed their cropping pattern. Specialization took place in against

of diversification, losing the soil fertility, agricultural economy. Aman was the only one

crop that occupied more than 90 percent of the total cropped area (vide plate no.5.2) &

remaining portion occupied by Boro, so maximum water flow through the canals in the

rainy season made farmers to take to crop only one crop i.e. paddy to feed the ever

increasing population. Surplus production of rice did help their economical growth while

specialization lost the soil fecundity, lose of employment. Idealness among the farmers

(vide plate no. 6.6) has brought social insanity hampering their mental health, researcher

feels so.

Md. Bazar, located at the head reach of the canal in between Tilpara barrage & Dwarka

weir used to get much more canal water to invest more than 90 percent of total cropped

area for Aman in Kharif season & 10 percent was for Boro & Oilseeds. Instead of

diversification of crops, specialization took place. So it can be said that excess canal

water supply changed the cropping pattern of their canal command area.

5.5.2 Change in Crop Diversification for the Year of 2005:

With the long practice of canal irrigation almost all the canals gradually started to be died.

All the canals remain dry in the dry season & also in rainy season & they cannot carry so

much water so as to irrigate up to the last end of the canal command through its all

distributaries. In some time they also carry water but the water level of the canals remain

much lower than the fields, so it cannot irrigate the fields without lifting by pumps.

Discharge of canals is not regulated scientifically. So farmers are not well aware of the

discharge from the dams & barrages. This unscientific & unregulated discharge also

disturbed the cropping pattern & forced the farmers to be dependent more on tube well


irrigation rather than the canals, so now with the ensured supply of water, farmers are

specified for specific crops production in regular basis.

Suri-I&II (vide plate no. 5.2)

& Illambazar only now show

the specialization on Aman &

Boro (vide fig. no.5.6). While

the other areas produce more

than four to five crops with

the help of canal & rain water

in rainy season &

underground water through

tube wells in the dry season.

Storage of water behind the

dams & barrages completely

destroyed the river course

(vide plate no. 4.1 & 4.2). No

existence of their

distributaries those helped to

flow excess river water &

river lift irrigation to the field in the dry spell. After destructing the total river system of

this region, now canals are also going to be died spoiling the whole agricultural economy

of this region.

It has been observed that still more than 85 percent of total harvested areas are cultivated

for Aman & Boro production for the food grains shortage to feed the ever increasing

population than before. Farmers also get interest to produce more rice through the Govt.

oriented schemes which are depleting water table & soil fertility at a sharp rate.

The green revolutionary technology, minimum support price for paddy, assured

marketing facilities for paddy & feasible return from paddy produce have changed the

agricultural landscape from crop diversification to crop specialization (vide fig. no. 5.6).

Farmers abandoned traditional cropping pattern & shifted to cash returning Aman - Boro

rotation.

Fig. No. 5.6


It is felt by the researcher that there is a need for a well outlined & an integrated policy

for crop diversification which means an assured minimum support price & regular

marketing facilities for feasible returns, crop-specific bonus over & above minimum

support price, state incentives & subsidies as well as dispersal of food processing units for

pulses, oilseeds, vegetables & fruits etc.

If it is possible farmers would incline to revert to the traditional cropping pattern of

producing Pulses, Jute, Mesta, Sunhemp, Sugarcane, Oilseeds, Vegetables, Fruits & Food

Grains etc, so as to maintain actual soil fecundity & healthy agriculture economy within

this command area.

5.6 CROP YIELD INDEX:

To assess the areal differences in the level of food production, crop yield index should be

under consideration.

The procedure to determine crop yield index after Jasbir Singh & Ojha (1976) is as

follows :-

Yi =[Yae ÷ Yar] Χ 100

Where,

Yi is the crop yield index,

Yae is the average yield per hectare of crop ‘a’ in the component enumeration unit i.e. one block [Muraroi,

Nalhati, Bolpur, Nanoor etc].

Yar is the average yield of the crop ‘a’i.e. Aman, Boro,

Wheat etc. in the entire canal command area.

The hectare yield of each crop depends upon the volume of areas available for cultivation,

landscape variability, availability of water; practice of food habits; cultural characteristics

& also on the minimum support price through the Govt.

In this canal command area Aus, Aman, Boro , Wheat & Maize, Oilseeds, Pulses, Jute &

Mesta, Mug & Muskalai & Sugarcane are the crops which were regularly produced in

traditional method before 1985 i.e. the period of full phased completion of the project.


To measure yield index of each crop, areas under cultivation for each crop must be taken

under consideration. Although in each canal command area 10 crops were produced but

maximum areas of the fields were used for Aman paddy cultivation. Boro paddy was the

major crop, Aus, Wheat, Maize & oilseeds were the secondary crops, according to their

occupying areas for cultivation.

5.6.1 Change in Aman Yield Index:

Intense irrigation through canals & tube wells, use of high yielding varieties of seeds,

much more chemical fertilizers, pesticides & insecticides & market cost benefit increase

the yield index value of Aman (see table no. 5.6.1)

Table: 5.6.1 DECADAL CHANGE IN AMAN YIELD INDEX

Blocks

Aman Yield Index in

percentage Change in 2005

over 1985 1985 2005



Rampurhat-I & II 103 99 -4

Md.Bazar 87 98 11

Mayureshwar-I & II 114 101 -13

Suri-I & II 86 101 15

Sainthia 89 108 19

Labpur 99 93 -6

Dubrajpur 59 66 7

Illambazar 93 101 8

Bolpur 103 103 0

Nanoor 102 108 6

Bharatpur-I & II 124 99 -25

Burwan 135 104 -31

Kandi 106 93 -13

Khargram 108 97 -11

Nabagram 75 89 14

Sagardighi 67 110 43

Raghunathganj-I 86 78 -8

Suti-I 69 84 15

Ketugram-I & II 170 113 -57



Fig. No. 5.7.a

Fig. No. 5.7.b


Rampurhat-I & II, Mayureshwar-I & II, Labpur in Birbhum district are the areas where

Aman yield index has been declined (vide fig.no.5.7.b), indicating the irregular &

uncertainty of canal water supply (vide plate no. 5.1) & the use of traditional seeds that

decreased Aman cropped area. While the other areas in Birbhum district show the

uprising Aman yield after using high yielding varieties of seeds, & much more canal

water in the Kharif season.

Bharatpur-I & II, Burwan, Kandi, Nabagram, Roghunathganj-I are the areas, in

Murshidabad district depicting the declining nature of Aman yield from 1985-2005 (vide

fig. no. 5.7.b & 5.8).

Bharatpur-I & II, Kandi, the areas at the tail end of Kopai South Main canal can hardly

get canal water in the Kharif season when rainfall occurs at minimum. No scope of river

lift & limited tube well irrigation in that period has restricted the Aman yield. Uncertainty

of rainfall hampers the Aman Paddy production.

Burwan block, is characterized with depressed zone so it is flooded regularly for the

stagnation of rainwater & escess water through canals. This regular flood disturbs the

Aman yield so, declining nature in the change of Aman yield is found (vide fig no.5.8).

Khargram is irrigated by the distributaries branching from Mayurakshi Dwarka. Branch

Canal. So it receives water through the distributaries when heavy rainfall occurs at the

upper catchment areas of River Mayurakshi. Variable rainfall disturbs the canal flow, so

farmers cannot fully rely on the availability of canal water distributing Aman Paddy

production reducing also its cropped area (vide fig.no.5.7.a & 5.7.b). Ketugram- I & II are

at the extreme tail end of Kopai South Main canal used to get hardly water through canals

until the heavy rainfall occurs at the source area of Kopai River. Expectation of receiving

much more water from the canals now has failed & they also rejected other traditional

methods of irrigation such as tank & river lift. So now they only depend on the rainfall for

Aman cultivation (vide plate no.5.2). But its irregularity heavily hampers the production

& cropped area (vide fig. no. 5.8).

The researcher suggests in this context to enhance the yield of Aman paddy for the use of

less water needed seeds with short growing season. Govt. should give them assured

minimum price support & marketing facilities through block & panchayet levels.


Fig No. 5.8

5.6.2 Change in Boro Yield Index:

During 1985-86 Boro paddy was produced with the help of canal water supplying all over

the canal command area. In that period canals were able to supply water to the fields in

the winter when water was needed for Boro paddy. Govt. owned & regulated deep tube

wells also supplied water to the fields.

Rice is the main staple food of this region, so after Aman, farmers used to produce Boro

only in the fields near the main & branch canals to receive water easily. Along with Boro,

other Rabi crops were also grown, so the entire portion of the agricultural fields was not

in use for Boro cultivation. Besides population was not as high as now, so the need of rice

nearly got fulfilled from Aman, the rest was from Boro. Less area under Boro cultivation,

use of traditional seeds did not increase Boro yield in that period, all over the canal

command in Birbhum district (see table no.5.6.2).

Bharatpur-I & II, Burwan, Kandi, Khargram, Sagardighi, Raghunathganj-I & Suti-I are

the areas where Boro crop yield in the year of 1985 (vide fig. no. 5.9.a) was high in

comparison with the other areas as because of food habits & implication of green

revolutionary technology through Govt. levels with the minimum price support.

After two decades in all agricultural fields Boro crop yield has been enhanced (vide fig.

no.5.9.b) with the regular & certain water supply through tube wells mainly, shallow tube


wells (vide plate no. 4.6), regulated by the farmers. They easily get water when it is

needed.

Table: 5.6.2 DECADAL CHANGE IN BORO CROP YIELD INDEX

Blocks

Boro Yield Index in percentage Change in

2005 over 1985 Year

1985 2005



Rampurhat-I & II 87 101 14

Md.Bazar 87 101 14


Suri-I & II 87 102 15

Sainthia 87 105 18

Labpur 87 88 1

Dubrajpur 86 89 3

Illambazar 87 97 10

Bolpur 87 101 14

Nanoor 87 104 17

Bharatpur-I & II 134 105 -29

Burwan 123 94 -29

Kandi 124 117 -7

Khargram 147 98 -49

Nabagram 54 96 42

Sagardighi 90 69 -21


Suti-I 102 94 -8

Ketugram-I & II 0 103 103 Source: District Agricultural Office, Birbhum, Murshidabad, Burdwan.

Cost benefit effect & marketing facilities for rice, ensured water supply through

submersible tube wells, force the farmers to produce Boro paddy. For cost benefit effect,

farmers use high yielding varieties of seeds with short duration so yield has been

enhanced.

All the areas of Birbhum district show the positive change in yield index of Boro while

Bharatpur-I & II, Burwan, Kandi, Khargram of Murshidabad district only show the

declining change (vide fig. no. 5.10) in yield of Boro as because of their changing food

habits.

The demand of rice is getting fulfilled from the production of Aman, so the farmers are

not so much interested for Boro paddy cultivation.


Fig. No. 5.9 a

Fig. No. 5.9b


Fig No. 5.10

Ketugram-I & II, to feed the high increasing population wants to produce more rice as

because of less Aman production in Kharif season due to short & irregular supply of

water.

Ketugram-I & II now are highly dependent on shallow submersible tube wells (vide plate

no. 7.6), so entire agricultural field is now getting cultivated for Boro paddy, so there is a

high positive change in Boro crop yield is found (vide fig. no. 5.10). High yielding

varieties of seeds, intense irrigation through tube wells and use of chemical fertilizers at a

large scale helped to increase the Boro yield at maximum rate.

5.6.3 Change in Wheat Yield Index:

During 1985-86 in all canal command 5-10 percent to the total cropped area was

cultivated for wheat production in the Rabi season with the water available from deep

tube wells. Wheat Yield index was high (vide fig. no. 5.11.a) & it was produced in

subsistence basis. All the blocks in Birbhum district & the blocks of Burdwan district

under the canal command exhibited 90 to 120 yield index of Wheat in the year of 1985 -

86 (see table no. 5.6.3) (vide fig. no.5.11.a). While with the advancement of canal water

application, farmers were tending towards paddy cultivation neglecting Wheat, so their

food habits are getting changed from Rice-Wheat to Rice only.


Maximum areas are coming under Aman paddy in Kharif season & Boro in Rabi season.

Production of Wheat as well as its cropped area is now getting declined due to its less

cost benefit effect. No marketing facilities & Govt. support discouraged the farmers for

Wheat cultivation. Gradually rice becomes the only staple food of this region leaving

absolutely Wheat. So to feed the increased population, more rice has to be produced, so in

Rabi season, tube well irrigation mainly shallow submersible tube wells supports &

encourages only Boro paddy cultivation. Less interest on wheat, easy availability of

wheat product in the local market, no Govt. programme for enhancing wheat production,

its yield as well as its cropped area now has declined vigorously. Now, only Bolpur

exhibited high Wheat crop yield index i.e. more than 120 (vide fig. no. 5.11.b).

Table: 5.6.3 DECADAL CHANGE IN WHEAT YIELD INDEX

Blocks

Wheat Yield Index in

percentage Change in

2005 over 1985 Year

1985 2005

Muraroi-I & II 113 94 -19

Nalhati-I & II 106 101 -5

Rampurhat-I & II 108 87 -21

Md.Bazar 107 113 6


Suri-I & II 108 109 1

Sainthia 110 111 1

Labpur 108 82 -26

Dubrajpur 110 89 -21

Illambazar 99 106 7

Bolpur 109 128 19

Nanoor 108 107 -1

Bharatpur-I & II 57 84 27

Burwan 66 82 16

Kandi 72 92 20

Khargram 90 87 -3

Nabagram 99 73 -26

Sagardighi 106 90 -16


Suti-I 110 94 -16

Ketugram-I & II 119 93 -26 Source: District Agricultural Office, Birbhum, Murshidabad, Burdwan.

Bharatpur-I & II, Burwan, Kandi, Bolpur, Illambazar support the Wheat yield index at

higher rate because of their cultural trend (vide fig. no. 5.12).


Fig. No. 5.11 a

Fig. No. 5.11b


Still now the interest on Wheat encourages its production & yield, so there is positive

change in Wheat yield index is found in 2005 06 over 1985 -86. Rice-wheat food habit

still is persisting here, so Wheat yield is increasing.

Fig. No. 5.12

But Muraroi- I&II (-19), Rampurhat-I&II (-21), Labpur (-26), Dubrajpur (-21), Sagardighi

(-16), Ketugram-I&II (-26) are the blocks which exhibited sharp negative change in

Wheat crop yield index.

5.6.4 Change in Oilseeds Yield Index:

Oilseeds include mainly mustard & in some parts sunflower is also cultivated. Oilseeds as

commercial crops were regularly cultivated in all parts of the canal command in Rabi

season. These oil producing seeds are less water needed & their dry dust is highly fertile

for the soil. So farmers are always interested to produce oilseeds as main commercial

crops.

It has also cost-benefit effect & local market oriented. But lacking of minimum support

price, least encouragement from higher agricultural levels, want of open market did not

help to increase its yield & cropped area.

During 1985-86 oilseeds were produced as major & a secondary crop, as diversification

was prevailed then (see table no. 5.6 4). To have natural organic fertilizer from mustard,

farmers were deeply interested to crop oilseeds. But now chemical fertilizers are easily


available at the local market. They are heavily motivated with the advertisement of their

use, avoiding natural fertilizers.

Table: 5.6.4 DECADAL CHANGE IN OILS EEDS YIELD INDEX

Blocks

Oilseeds Yield Index in

percentage Change in

2005 over 1985 Year

1985 2005 Muraroi-I & II 106 82 -24

Nalhati-I & II 106 104 -2 Rampurhat-I & II 109 59 -50

Md.Bazar 111 90 -21 Mayureshwar-I & II 110 83 -27

Suri-I & II 110 86 -24 Sainthia 102 98 -4

Labpur 110 110 0 Dubrajpur 110 52 -58

Illambazar 104 120 16

Bolpur 106 72 -34 Nanoor 103 84 -19

Bharatpur-I & II 90 90 0 Burwan 95 90 -5

Kandi 97 87 -10 Khargram 74 89 15

Nabagram 76 90 14 Sagardighi 90 62 -28

Raghunathganj-I 92 59 -33 Suti-I 86 120 34

Ketugram-I & II 33 81 48 Source: District Agricultural Office, Birbhum, Murshidabad, Burdwan.

Now it is cropped as secondary & minor crops. So the farmers are losing their keen

interest to produce it at a large scale. Farmers are deeply interested in Boro cultivation

leaving minimum areas for oilseeds, so the yield has been lessened.

During 1985-86 in all the areas under Birbhum district yield index of oilseeds varied from

90-120 (see table no. 5.6 4) (vide fig. no. 5.13.a) while after two decades in 2005-06 yield

index value of oilseeds now ranges from 60-90 (vide fig. no. 5.13.b) & in some places

like Dubrajpur & Rampurhat-I & II block, it is below 60 in index value. As because of

less interest to crop oilseeds, least water supply through tube wells which only support

Boro cultivation, least improvement of tanks in regular basis, before rainy season so as to

store rain water for helping oilseeds cultivation, its production as well as yield are now

becoming very less.


Fig. No. 5.13.a

Fig. No. 5.13.b


Ketugram-I & II are the only areas where the yield index of oilseeds has been increased at

a sharp rate from 33 to 81 (consult table no. 5.6.4) as because of regular water supply

from tube wells, interest for using this natural fertilizer, high marketing facilities for oil. It

makes positive change in Oilseeds yield index in 2005 -06 over 1985-86 (vide fig. no.

5.14). Illambazar & Khargram also made slight positive change in oilseeds yield index.

Except these blocks all the other blocks established negative change in Oilseeds yield

index.

Fig. No. 5.14

Soil of this canal command area is highly suitable for Oilseeds production. It is not so

much water needed crop. It can easily be grown with the help of tank water (vide plate

no.4.4). If marketing facilities for oil is guaranteed by the Govt. level, farmers would be

easily interested for Oilseeds production that would increase agro-economic growth of

this region.

5.7. CROP COMBINATION ANALYSIS:

Weaver (1954) proposed an objective statistical technique of combination analysis to

establish crop production. It involves comparing the actual proportions of the gross

cropped hectare occupied by different crops with ‘abstract theoretical distributions model’

wherein the gross cropped area is equally distributed amount the different crops. The

objective of the procedure is to set up the combinations where actual crop percentages are

least deviating from or very close to the abstract theoretical distributions of the different


crops. When the standard deviation is the lowest this situations comes in front.

The use of the technique least deviation or least squares [i.e. minimum standard

deviation] was suggested by Coppock (1964) & Jasbir Singh (1976) applied it for the

deviation of crop combinations.

The purpose of this least squares technique procedure is to establish a combination in

which a combination in which the actual percentages may be least deviating from the

theoretical percentages. This situation occurs when the sum of the squared differences in

actual & theoretical percentages is the lowest; it is then known as technique of least

square.

In addition this technique can also be applied to identify & locate areas sharing a

significant proportion of a single agricultural crop (such as rice) of higher rank.

Least squares technique is a statistical form where the patterns of crop combinations are

established by reckoning the least deviation of the actual crop percentages from the

theoretical distributions. It consists of comparing the actual percentages of the cropped

area occupied by the different field crops with theoretical distributions in which the

cropped area is equally divided among the component crops in the enumeration area.

The ideal theoretical distributions are explicitly outlined in the following table as a basis

to determine the identity & number of crops involved in the basic crop combination.

Theoretical distribution of cropped area as suggested by Weaver (1954)

Monoculture = one crop accounts for 100 percent of the total cropped area.

2-crop combination = each crop 50 percent of the total cropped area.

3-crop combination = each crop 33.33 percent of the total cropped area.









To accurately compare the actual percentages within the individual area with the

theoretical distribution as given in the above ‘table’, the variances & standard deviation

formulae were selected.

Variance = ∑ d2÷n

Standard deviation = √∑ d2÷n

Where, d is the difference between the actual crop (Aman, Boro, Wheat,

Oilseeds, Pulses etc.) percentages in a given block & the

percentages in the theoretical distribution.

n is the number of crops in combination in this canal command area.

In order to avoid the diversity of combinations only the primary, the major, & the

secondary crops are to be taken into consideration for displaying the basis regional crop

distribution structure.

Though the Weaver’s technique is mathematically sound, it requires many calculations. A

modified format Weaver’s technique has been put forward by Coppock (1964) to

calculate only the sum of the squared deviations & not to divide it by the total number of

crops under discussions. The Coppock technique quite sensibly suggests that the divisions

of the sum of the squared deviations by the total number crops included in discussions.

The combination having the smallest or lowest sum of the squared deviations, known as

least squares, has been taken as the established crop combination.

The procedure of the least squares technique used to establish crop is explained as

follows:-

Crops are arranged in order of descending magnitude & the different between the

actual & theoretical percentages are calculated starting with monoculture, in which

one crop accounts for 100 percent of the total cropped area & through 2 crop

combinations progressively to larger combinations, i.e. 4 crops or 5 crops & the like

to find the best fit. This is determined by the technique of least squares.

The differences between the actual & theoretical percentages are squared &


summed; the lowest sum of squares (least squares) identifies the desired

combination having the best fit.

In this canal command area, for the year 1985-86, where the ranked percentage of

the first ten crops are as given (consult Table No.5.1).

The first calculation for Monoculture will be for Suri P.S. [taking the theoretical

distribution of cropped area as weaver (1954)].

(100-48)2+ (19-0)2+ (10-0)2 + (9-0)2+ (5.4-0)2+ (4.4-0)2+ (2.4-0)2+

(0.87-0)2+ (0.74-0)2+ (0.08-0)2

=2704+361+100+81+29.16+19.36+5.76+0.76+0.55+0.01

=3301.6

The second calculation for two crop combination will be:

(50-48)2+ (50-0)2+ (10-0)2 + (9-0)2+ (5.4-0)2+ (4.4-0)2+ (2.4-0)2

+ (0.87-0)2+ (0.74-0)2+ (0.08-0)2

=4+961+100+81+29.16+19.36+5.76+0.76+0.55+0.01

=1201.6

The Third calculation for three crop combination will be:

(33.33-48)2+ (33.33-19)2+ (33.33-10)2 + (9-0)2+ (5.4-0)2+ (4.4-0)2

+ (2.4-0)2+ (0.87-0)2+ (0.74-0)2+ (0.08-0)2

=215.21+205.35+544.29+81+29.16+19.36+5.76+0.76+0.55+0.01

=1101.45

The Fourth calculation for four crop combination will be:

(25-48)2+ (25-19)2+ (25-10)2 + (25-9)2+ (5.4-0)2+ (4.4-0)2+ (2.4-0)2

+ (0.87-0)2+ (0.74-0)2+ (0.08-0)2

=529+36+225+256+29.16+19.36+5.76+0.76+0.55+0.01

=1101.60

In fact, the sum of squares (the Least squares) is the lowest at third calculation, which is

1101.45 & hence identifies the crop combination of Suri-I & II as a three crop


combination. The combination is described by appropriate letters for the crops in the crop

combination in ranked order for example ABAu where A stands for Aman (first crop), B

for Boro (second crop) & Au for Aus (third crop).

After using the above techniques of Least squares by Coppock & Weaver crop

combination of all the blocks under this canal command for the year of 1985-86, 1995-96

& 2005-06 has been derived by consulting Table 5.1, 5.2 & 5.3.

On deriving crop combination of this canal command area it can be said that in the year

of 1985-86, dominant, major & secondary crops were regularly produced throughout the

year maintaining soil fertility & cultural demand. Aman was produced as dominant crop,

Oilseeds, Boro as major crops, & Aus, Wheat as secondary crops. Assured water supply

through canals, tanks, rivers & tube wells helped to establish three or four crop

combination that engaged the farmers to their fields all over the year (see Table No. 5.7).

During 1985-86 Mayureshwar-I & II, Sainthia & Bolpur established four crop

combinations with the crops like Aman, Boro, Aus, Wheat & Oilseeds. The flat surface,

easy available water not only from the canals i.e. Mayurakshi Bakreswar Branch Canal or

Kopai South Main Canal, but also from the rivers & ground water through tube wells that

helped the farmers to maintain four crop combinations in a year. It could easily enhance

nitrogen to the soil for replenishing soil fertility.

TABLE 5.7 CROP COMBINATIONS BY LEAS T SQUARE TECHNIQUE

Blocks 1985-86

No. of the crops Name of the crops

Muraroi-I & II 2 Aman,Oilseeds

Nalhati-I & II 3 Aman,Oilseeds,Pulses

Rampurhat-I & II 3 Aman,Boro,Oilseeds

Md.Bazar 3 Aman,Boro,Oilseeds

Mayureshwar-I & II 4 Aman,Oilseeds,Boro,Wheat

Suri-I & II 3 Aman,Boro,Aus

Sainthia 4 Aman,Boro,Oilseeds,Aus

Labpur 2 Aman,Boro

Dubrajpur 3 Aman,Oilseeds,Wheat

Illambazar 1 Aman

Bolpur 4 Aman,Aus.Wheat,Oilseeds

Nanoor 2 Aman,Aus

Bharatpur-I & II 2 Aman,Boro

Contd..


Burwan 3 Aman,Boro,Wheat

Kandi 2 Aman,Boro

Khargram 2 Aman,Boro

Nabagram 3 Aman,Boro,Wheat

Sagardighi 1 Aman

Raghunathganj-I 5 Aman,Aus,Pulses,Wheat,Boro

Suti-I 3 Aman,Oilseeds,Aus

Ketugram-I & II 1 Aman

Blocks 2005-06

No. of the crops Name of the crops

Muraroi-I & II 1 Aman

Nalhati-I & II 2 Aman,Boro

Rampurhat-I & II 2 Aman,Boro

Md.Bazar 1 Aman

Mayureshwar-I & II 2 Aman,Boro

Suri-I & II 1 Aman

Sainthia 2 Aman,Boro

Labpur 1 Aman

Dubrajpur 1 Aman

Illambazar 1 Aman

Bolpur 2 Aman,Boro

Nanoor 3 Aman,Boro,Aus

Bharatpur-I & II 2 Aman,Boro

Burwan 2 Aman,Boro

Kandi 3 Aman,Boro,Wheat

Khargram 1 Aman

Nabagram 4 Aman,Boro,Oilseeds,Wheat

Sagardighi 4 Aman,Boro,Oilseeds,Wheat

Raghunathganj-I 4 Aman,Wheat,Oilseeds,Potato

Suti-I 4 Aman,Boro,Oilseeds,Pulses

Ketugram-I & II 2 Aman,Boro


Muraroi-I & II are the blocks at the far distant from the main discharge of Tilpara hardly

could help to get water after the rainy season, so only Aman was mainly grown with the

canal & rain water in the rainy season & slightly Oilseeds also produced with the help of

ground & tank water while Nalhati-I & II could get more water from Brahmani barrage

that helped the farmers to cultivate Pulses after Aman & then after Oilseeds. Here

Oilseeds were the major crops & Pulses as secondary crops.

Nanoor at the tail end area under Kopai South Main Canal could not get much more water



after the rainy season, so Rabi cropped areas had not been taken under consideration for

crop combination. The farmers were interested to produce Aus before rains not Boro after

rainy season.

Bharatpur-I & II, Burwan, Kandi & Khargram are the areas where Aman & Boro were

produced for two crop combinations (vide fig. no. 5.15). Aman was as dominant & Boro

as major crop. Availability of water through canals, rivers, tanks & tube wells as well as

rainfall supported two crop combinations. Food habit & demand of large scale population

forced them to produce only paddy (Aman & Boro) where Boro was produced as a major

crop indicating the supply of water in the dry season through other sources mainly tanks

(consult table no. 4.4).

Fig. No. 5.15

Illambazar & Ketugram-I & II are the only areas where Aman was only produced as

monoculture (vide fig. no. 5.15). 66 percent & 71 percent of total cropped area was used


for Aman cultivation. This monoculture explicates the scarcity of water supply in the dry

season as well as poor agro-economic structure.

All the areas under the canal command in 2005-06, are not in so favourable position to

have sufficient canal water in all season. When heavy rainfall occurs the fields as well as

the canals are also brimful with water. The canals are then not in so needed to the fields

but in the dry season when water is highly needed the canals also do not support the

irrigation system by supplying water to Rabi crops for the limitation of storage behind the

dams & barrages due to heavy sand deposits, carried through heavy rains & floods.

For the growing of seedlings the farmers receive water through the canals only at the head

reach area & also do receive water from the tanks. After transplantation the seedlings can

easily be grow up with the rain water, so monoculture now is prevailed in large scale all

over the canal command area. Md.Bazar as does not receive too much water to crop in the

Rabi season, so monoculture now has been established although three crop combinations

(Aman- Boro- Oilseeds) were there in two decades before. Suri-I & II also show

monoculture (vide fig. no. 5.16) in against of three crop combinations due to short supply

of canal water except in rainy season. Muraroi-I & II, at the far distant is beyond to reach

of canal water, so in the dry season Rabi crops cannot be produced. Dubrajpur, for its

hard rocky character is unable to lift much more water in winter to irrigate the fields and

the irregular, unsystematic & uncertain discharge from the Tilpara barrage & Bakreswar

weir & their uncontrolled flow heavily hamper Rabi crop production. Only monoculture

is prevailed.

The agricultural fields of Illambazar, just near Kopai South Main Canal are much higher

than the level of water in the canals, so without proper maintenance to raise the water

level the fields of Illambazar cannot get water in spite of full discharge from Kopai

barrage. So it is found that full of canal water in winter but fields remain fallow without

the agricultural practice (vide plate no. 5.9,6.6 & 8.6).

Nalhati-I& II, Rampurhat-I & II, Mayureshwar-I & II, Sainthia, Bolpur, Bharatpur-I & II,

Burwan, Kandi, Khargram now establish two crop combinations mainly Aman-Boro & in

somewhere three combinations such as Aman- Boro-Aus, or Aman- Boro- Wheat. The

low relief, with least slope, availability of ground water, use of tanks in winter, minimum

support price for paddy, and its cost benefit effect encouraged the farmers to crop Aman –

Boro paddy at a large scale.



Fig. No. 5.16

5.8 VOLUME OF CHANGE IN CROPLAND OCCUPANCY:

Table 5.8 provides an overall picture of this canal command area for a spatial analysis of

volume of change in crop cultivation implying how much percent points of the tota l

cropped area was involved in charge from different cropland occupancies to the other

during 2005-06 over 1985-86. When the involvement level is above 20 percent points, it

means [after Jasbir Singh (1974)] a change of high rate in cropping pattern, between 10 to

20 percent points denote & moderate rate of change & under 10 percent points

involvement implies a change of low rate in crop cultivation.

This scale as a yardstick when applied to Table 5.8 brings to light that in this canal

command area under reference the volume of change in cropland occupancies was very

high in Dubrajpur, Sagardighi & ketugram-I & II i.e. more than ± 30. It implies more than

30 percent points of the total command area was involved in change from different


cropland occupancies. High rate of change in cropland occupancies are found in the areas

of Md.Bazar, Mayureshwar-I & II, Suri-I & II, Sainthia, Illambazar, & Nanoor while

moderate rate of change is noticed in the areas of Muraroi- I & II, Nalhati-I & II,

Rampurhat-I & II, Labpur, Bolpur, Burwan, Kandi, and low rate of change in cropland

occupancies is found in Kandi where 9 percent point of total cropped area was involved

in change from different cropland occupancies to the others. Change in cropland

occupancies is highly dependent on the intense irrigation system, demand of crops, soil

quality, scope of Govt. support & guaranteed market.

Ketugram-I & II established 37 percent points of total cropped area was involved in

change. This major shift is for fine Food grains i.e. Boro while minor shifting is for Aus,

Pulses & Vegetables. Dubrajpur also established 39 percent points of total cropped area

(see table no. 5.8) was involved in change while this high change is only for Aman &

Boro.

Table: 5.8 VOLUME OF CHANGE IN CROPLAND OCCUPANCY

Blocks

Change in percent points in 2005-06 over 1985-86

Blocks

Change in percent points in 2005-06 over 1985-86

Muraroi-I & II ± 11 Nanoor ± 24

Nalhati-I & II ± 16 Bharatpur-I & II ± 20

Rampurhat-I & II ± 16 Burwan ± 13

Md.Bazar ± 28 Kandi ± 18

Mayureshwar-I & II ± 27 Khargram ± 9

Suri-I & II ± 27 Nabagram ± 17

Sainthia ± 29 Sagardighi ± 31

Labpur ± 16 Raghunathganj-I ± 19

Dubrajpur ± 39 Suti-I ± 28

Illambazar ± 23 Ketugram-I & II ± 37

Bolpur ± 19 Source: District Agricultural Office, Birbhum, Murshidabad, Burdwan.

Percentage of total cropped area in change of very high i.e. 30 in cropping patte rn is from

food grains (Paddy- Aus-Aman-Boro) & commercial crops (Oilseeds, Jute) to fine food

grains (Aman-Boro). This very high change is motivated by improvement in irrigation

firstly Govt. canals & then by submersible tube well irrigation, influenced by

procurement of produce at minimum support price, as well as change in farm

management practices due to adoption of green revolution technology & increase in

population number at alarming rate than ever before.


Percentage of total cropped area in change of high rate i.e. 20-30 in cropping pattern from

food grains (Aus-Aman-Wheat-Boro) influenced by canal as well as tube well irrigation,

ever increasing population for feeding them, long term agricultural practice & cultural

habits while moderate & low rate of change is influenced by least agricultural growth &

uncertainty of canal water.

Fig. no. 5.17

There is a high positive shifting for Aman & Boro in the areas which receive much more

canal water in the rainy season & submersible & shallow tube wells water in the dry

season. Long agricultural practice, food habits, Govt. encouragement, local marketing

facilities, number of rice mills at the local area motivated the farmers to produce rice both

in Kharif & Rabi season at a large scale. But in two decades before they were used to

practice other sources of irrigation systems throughout the year. Tanks were regularly

improved to store much more rain water & excess flood water, so their fields were used to

produce varieties of crops not only paddy but also wheat, pulses, jute, sugarcane &

vegetables for their own requirement.


Least economic growth forced the farmers to depend absolutely on their fields to have

their all needs from the fields. Now applying green revolution technology, minimum

support price through Govt. level, easy availability of high yielding varieties of seeds,

chemical fertilizers, insecticides & pesticides at local market, easy marketing facilities

with the support of Govt. level, farmers are producing much more rice from their fields

using total areas of fields for rice cultivation depleting soil fecundity & ground water

level.

The present researcher feels that this canal command area shows the change in cropland

occupancies but this change is only from food grains to fine food grains for increasing

production while industrial crops like Jute & Sugarcane have completely been lost and

commercial crops like Oilseeds & Pulses also in steady declining position. No Govt.

support for jute marketing, absence of sugar mills discouraged the farmers to produce Jute

& Sugarcane at large scale. Sugarcane now is produced to make molasses at local level,

so the researcher thinks to protect healthy agro economy a change is necessary in

cropland occupancies from fine food crops to high yielding varieties of less water needed

traditional crops (i.e. Rapeseed, Mustard, Til, Pulses, Potato &Vegetables, Jute,

Sunhemp, Mesta, Sugarcane etc). The entire produce should be purchased regularly at

preannounced rate by the State Govt. Agencies. If it is possible, farmers would change

their farming practices without disturbing agro economic health.

5.9 CHANGE IN WEIGHTED COMPOSITE LEVEL OF AGRICULTURAL

PERFORMANCE:

This technique is propounded by Jasbir Singh, et, al (1990). It is enough to identify the

areas of agricultural prosperity, parity & poverty at the national level. It takes into

consideration both the cropland occupancy & productivity of crop for ascertaining the

level of agricultural performance.

The objective of application of such type of technique a lways is purpose oriented i.e. to

identify the weaker areas & planning oriented i.e. to classify the environmental problems

& suggest development programmes.

Agricultural Performance can be calculated for each unit area based on this formula:


Wci = [ Yae÷Yar ] [Pae÷Par] + [Ybe÷Ybr] [ Pbe÷Pbr]+ [Ycc÷Ycr ] [Pcc÷Pcr ] ………..N

= ∑LQs÷N

Where,

Wci denotes Weighted Composite index

of regional inequalities in agricultural performance.

Y means crop yield of crop ‘a’in kg/ha.

P implies cropland occupancy of crop ‘a’ in

percentage of gross cropped area.

‘a’, ‘b’, ‘c’, subscripts denote crops i.e. Aus,

Aman, Boro, Wheat, Oilseeds, Pulses etc.

e means enumeration blocks &

r denotes entire canal command area.

N is the number of crops holding more than

5 percent of the total cropped area.

LQs means Locational Quotients.

The summed up Location Quotients (LQs) were divided by the number of crops

considered in different unit area & multiplied by 100 to obtain the Weighted Composite

Level of Agricultural Performance.

So the abridged equation is:-

Weighted Composite Level of Agricultural Performance =∑ LQs ∕ N Χ 100

It gives the co-efficient of localization, the higher the value, the higher the level of

agricultural performance & vice versa.

The overall agricultural performance for this canal command area was calculated for the

year of 2005-06 & it was compared what was in the year of 1985-86. For the

measurement of agricultural performance the crop yields are integrated with the cropland

occupancy of Food Grains, Oilseeds, Fibre crops (Jute & Mesta) & Sugarcane & the

values are tabled in table no. 5.9.

This technique classifies area wise data of crop yield & cropland occupancy

systematically & taxonomically. With this technique, four units of agricultural production


typologies have been recognized by the researcher. Level of agricultural performance has

been improved in the blocks of Md.Bazar, Suri-I & II, Labpur, Illambazar, Bolpur,

Nanoor, Bharatpur-I & II. This improvement is due to intense irrigation through canals in

rainy season, availability of ground water through number of submersible tube wells,

incentive for setting up of rice mills at local areas, marketing facilities of rice, govt.

encouragement for rice production twice or thrice in a year. Agricultural improvement

also includes oilseeds production.

Table: 5.9 WEIGHTED COMPOS ITE LEVEL OF AGRICULTURAL PERFORMANCE [WCI]

Blocks

Wci

in percent

In 1985-86 No. of crops holding more than 5% of

total cropped area

Muraroi-I & II 130 4 [Aman.Wheat,Pulses,Oilseeds]

Nalhati-I & II 113 5 [Aman,Boro,Wheat,Pulses,Oilseeds]

Rampurhat-I & II 116 6 [Aman,Aus,Boro,Wheat,Pulses,Oilseeds]

Md.Bazar 88 6 [Aman,Aus,Boro,Wheat,Pulses,Oilseeds]

Mayureshwar-I & II 129 7 [Aus,Aman,Boro,Wheat,Pulses,Oilseeds,Potato]

Suri-I & II 97 6 [Aman,Aus,Boro,Wheat,Pulses,Oilseeds]

Sainthia 109 6 [Aman,Aus,Boro,Wheat,Pulses,Oilseeds]

Labpur 97 4 [Aman,Boro Wheat, Oilseeds]

Dubrajpur 118 5 [Aman,Oilseeds,Wheat,Pulses,Aus]

Illambazar 98 5 [Aus,Aman,Wheat,Pulses,Oilseeds]

Bolpur 110 6 [Aman,Aus,Boro,Wheat,Pulses,Oilseeds]

Nanoor 123 5 [Aman,Oilseeds,Wheat,Pulses,Aus]

Bharatpur-I & II 98 4 [Aman,Boro Wheat, Oilseeds]

Burwan 154 4 [Aman,Boro Wheat, Oilseeds]

Kandi 156 4 [Aman,Boro,Aus Wheat]

Khargram 105 4 [Aman,Boro Wheat, Oilseeds]

Nabagram 99 4 [Aman,Boro Wheat, Oilseeds]

Sagardighi 63 4 [Aman,Aus,Oilseeds]

Raghunathganj-I 106 5 [Aus,Aman,Wheat,Pulses,Oilseeds]

Suti-I 147 7 [Aus,Aman,Pulses,Wheat,Boro,Jute,Oilseeds]

Ketugram-I & II 130 4 [Aman,Jute,Oilseeds,Aus]

Blocks

Wci in

percent

In 2005-06 No. of crops holding more than 5% of

total cropped area

Muraroi-I & II 119 5[Aman.Wheat,Oilseeds,Boro,Pulses]

Nalhati-I & II 133 5[Aman.Wheat,Oilseeds,Boro,Pulses]

Rampurhat-I & II 100 4 [Aman,Boro,Wheat,Oilseeds]

Contd..


Md.Bazar 107 5 [Aman,Oilseeds,Wheat,Boro,Potato]

Mayureshwar-I & II 126 5[Aman,Boro,Potato,Oilseeds,Wheat]

Suri-I & II 119 2 [Aman,Boro]

Sainthia 106 3 [Aman,Boro,Oilseeds]

Labpur 104 3 [Aman,Boro,Oilseeds]

Dubrajpur 67 3 [Aman,Boro,Wheat]

Illambazar 119 2 [Aman,Boro]

Bolpur 179 4 [Aman,Boro,Aus,Oilseeds]

Nanoor 165 4 [Aman,Boro,Aus,Oilseeds]

Bharatpur-I & II 105 4 [Aman,Boro,Oilseeds,Wheat]

Burwan 169 5[Aman,Boro, Oilseeds,Potato,Aus]

Kandi 119 4 [Aman,Boro Wheat, Oilseeds]

Khargram 135 3[Aman,Boro,Oilseeds]

Nabagram 145 5[Aman,Boro,Oilseeds,Wheat,Pulses]

Sagardighi 119 5[Aman,Boro,Oilseeds,Wheat,Pulses]

Raghunathganj-I 124 5[Aman,Boro,Oilseeds,Wheat,Pulses]

Suti-I 190 6[Aman,Wheat,Oilseeds,Potato,Pulses,Boro]

Ketugram-I & II 114 3 [Aman,Boro,Oilseeds]


Muraroi-I & II, Nalhati-I & II, Mayureshwar-I & II, Sainthia, Burwan, Khargram &

Ketugram-I & II establish no improvement in agricultural performance. Scarcity of canal

water in dry season & also in the rainy season when rain fall is less, effect of flood (vide

plate no. 5.7, 2.2 & 2.3) for deposition of sand in the canal & river beds shortening the

storage & flowing water capacity, no more agricultural support for production other crops

through Govt. level did not help in further improvement in agricultural performance. The

improvement of agricultural performance is strictly restricted mainly for fine food grains

i.e. Aman & Boro. This is only due to long cultural practice & to feed increased

population as well as for improvement of their economical health.


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5.1 INTRODUCTION - Shodhgangashodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/29282/11/11... · 2018-07-09 · 5.1 INTRODUCTION: Cropping pattern refers to the proportion of area under