Drought-prone Marathwada to have sugar cane cultivation in 1.9 lakh hectare

AURANGABAD: Sugarcane is expected to have huge 1.9 lakh hectare area under its cultivation in Marathwada during the current Kharif season.
Despite a dip in cane cultivation as compared to last year, still a huge area in the drought-prone region is used which has raised many eyebrows. Traditionally, the farmers practice flood irrigation for the cultivation which takes lot of water usage and with situation in drought-prone Marathwada getting bad to worse with every year, the figures comes as a surprise to everyone.
Highlighting that farmers cannot be restricted from cultivating the crop of their choice since it fetches them good returns, the government as well as experts have emphasized the need for strict use of the drip and micro-irrigation techniques on war-footing for sugarcane.
Agricultural superintendent for Aurangabad division S K Divekar on Sunday said that the drip irrigation techniques for sugarcane can ensure judicious use of water. "Even if not made mandatory so far, the drip irrigation technique is being emphasized by the government. In the wake of drought last year and late arrival of monsoon this year, the area under cane cultivation is likely to come down. The estimated area under cultivation, however, is still high considering the drought-prone nature of Marathwada," he said.
Notably, a study conducted by advocacy group South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP) on sugarcane cultivation in Marathwada had found that drought-prone region consumed nearly 4,322 million cubic meters (mcum) of water, nearly double the live storage capacity of Jayakwadi project, to irrigate sugarcane standing on 2.3 lakh hectares in 2013.
Divekar said farmers should also explore sustainable cropping pattern instead of sugarcane. "Planting different orchards and cultivating vegetables, onions and potatoes could be also explored by farmers in keeping with the weather conditions," he said.
As per the official figures, an estimate made by the State Agriculture Department, Latur division of Marathwada will have over 1.25 lakh hectare of cane cultivation, while Aurangabad division will cultivate the cash-crop over 69,305 hectare area. Latur division which comprises of Latur, Parbhani, Nanded, Hingoli and Osmanabad and Aurangbad division, made up of Aurangabad, Jalna and Beed districts, together account for over 1.9 lakh hectare area under cane cultivation.
The estimated agricultural area under cane cultivation in Marathwada during 2018-19 was around 2.96 lakh hectare.
The sugarcane cultivation takes place under four-identified seasons including 'Adsali' that coincide with the Kharif season, pre-seasonal getting planted preferably during November - December, followed by 'Suru' cultivated in January - February and the subsequent Ratoon season. Marathwada witnesses sugarcane plantation during all these seasons depending upon the weather conditions and availability of water.
Deepak Joshi, a progressive farmer from Paithan taluka said sugarcane cultivation has remained prerogative of a section of farmers from Marathwada who have easy access to water from dams and canal systems. "The stat authorities must ensure judicious use of water for sugarcane cultivation by making drip irrigation mandatory. The farmers cannot be prohibited from cultivating the crop of their choice since it fetches them good returns, but at the same time there is a need for drip and micro-irrigation techniques for sugarcane instead of the traditional practice of flood irrigation," he said.