Agriculture

Agriculture


	remains evergreen with seasonal field crops throughout the year for its plenty of underground water

and soil type (new alluvium). Almost all the important crops are profitably grown in this district the economy of which depends mainly on agriculture. Farmers of this district are progressive in mind to adopt new technology for development of agriculture.

Net cropped area is 2,72,135 hectares. However, cropped area is decreasing slowly owing to necessity of conversion of agricultural land for construction of dwelling houses thereon. In spite of the high rate of growth of population, there has been no deficit of food grains in the district during the last three decades.

While the food grains (i.e. rice, wheat, pulses and oilseeds) production was 5,13,540 M.T. in 1976-77, in rose to 9,42,601 M.T. in 2000-01. It is worth mentioning here that the area under cultivation of oilseeds went up remarkably from 16,794 hectares in 1976-77 to 1,08,913 hectares in 2000-01 and the production increased from 9,328 M.T. in 1976-77 to 99,989 M.T. in 2000-01. This success is due to the introduction of H.Y.V. seeds of mustard, groundnut etc. and application of the improved technology of crop management and pest management.

Vegetables production has recorded a very high growth over the years. While the Vegetables production was 1,20,000 M.T. in 1976-77, in came to 12,50,182 M.T. in 2000-01.

Jute is another crop the production of which almost trebled during the period from 1976-77 to 2000-01. Jute production increased from 6,23,366 bales in 1976-77 to 17,02,760 bales in 2000-01. The curve of productivity in agriculture is upward in respect of most of the crops.


	The following table will reveal this fact

Name of the crop	Productivity per hectares (in Kg)
Name of the crop	1976 - 77	1986 - 87	1996 - 97	2000 - 01
Aus Paddy (clean rice)	1,032	1,737	1,639	1,850
Aman Paddy (clean rice)	1,348	2,017	2,115	1,595 (productivity decreased owing to devastating flood)
Boro Paddy (clean rice)	3,624	3,825	3,357	3,429
Wheat	2,500	2,886	2,538	2,458
Pulses	625	782	720	774
Oilseeds	550	950	920	918
Potato	15,500	18,000	23,095	26,999
Vegetable	8,000	10,000	11,000	14,540
Sugarcane	63,000	45,000	74,603	64,315


	*Increase in Cropping intensity over the following years...*

Year	Cropping intensity (%)
1976 - 77	159
1986 - 87	199
1996 - 97	258
2000 - 01	260


	Since the performance of the district in agriculture is noteworthy, there is ample scope for development of agro-based

industries. At present there more than five hundred agro-based industries in the district. Till 31-3-2002, 516 agro-based industrial units have been permanently registered with the Directorate of Cottage & Small Scale Industries. Important agro-based industries in the district at present include the following:

Husking Mill	Bakery
Rice Mill	Dal Mill
Chira Mill	Papad making
Oil Ghani	Flour Mill
Wheat grinding	Jam-jelly-pickles etc.


	The Government of West Bengal in the Incentive Scheme, 2000 has announced additional subsidy / incentive for the agro-based industries. The District Industries Centre has been organising awareness campaigns among the prospective entrepreneurs for setting up of more agro-based industries in the district. Efforts are on to find out suitable entrepreneurs interested in establishing multipurpose cold storages and oil mills with the assistance from the financial institutions


	There is only one Industrial Estate in the district and it is located at Kalyani. 52 Industrial units have so far been accommodated in the Industrial Estate and they play a very important role in the promotion and development of industries. Therefore the setting up of more Industrial Estates in the district is felt imperative to improve the industrial scenario of the district


	Irrigation sources have been created in the district under the minor and small irrigation project. Irrigation potentialities

have increased significantly over the years. 30.37% of the total agricultural land was irrigated in 1976-77. In 2000-01 the total agricultural land that had irrigation facilities rose to 78.10 %. The number of deep tube wells has increased from 531 in 1976-77 to 664 in 2000-01. There were only 15,700 shallow tube wells in 1976-77 and their count rose to 64,637 by 2000-01


	The growth of irrigation potentialities may be gauged from the following table

Source	1976-77		1986-87		1996-97		2000-01
Source	No.	Area (Hectares)	No.	Area (Hectares)	No.	Area (Hectares)	No	Area (Hectares)
Deep Tube well	531	21,240	615	24,600	636	25,440	664	25,440
River life irrigation	236	10,760	319	12,760	319	12,160	319	12,760
Mini Deep Tube well					245	5,848	245	5,848
Shallow Tube well	15,700	43,960	32,060	89,768	68,587	1,64,656	64,637	1,64,656
Tank / Khal / Beel		5,544		4,974		3,912	306	3,918
Total		81,504		1,32,102		2,12,016		2,12,622
Percentage		30.37		48.36		77.90		78.10

Although significant exploitation of water resources has already been made in the district there still remains exploitable water resources, both surface and ground. The Landform of the district does not support creation of surface water reservoirs.

Installation of 20 Heavy Duty Tubewells (HDTW) has been taken up and it will create an additional irrigation potential of 800 hectares. The installation work of 300 Light Duty Tubewells (LDTW) in clusters has also been taken up and this would cater to the needs for an additional 1,200 hectares. Moreover, 6 diesel-operated major River Lift Irrigation(RLI) schemes will be implemented very soon for creation of additional irrigation potentiality of 480 hectares.


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