Agriculture

Krishnagiri district is one of the potential districts for cultivation of agricultural and horticultural crops. Total cultivated area of 224767 Hectares, out of which 180902 Ha Net cultivated area against the 5,14,325 Ha. of total geographical area. The total normal area cultivated under all crops is 224767 Hectares out of which 73046 Ha is under irrigated and 151720 ha area under rainfed crops. The major agricultural crops in the district are grown Paddy, Ragi, Redgram, Cowpea, Maize, Cumbu, Groundnut, Horsegram and minor millets. The major cultivated area of agricultural crops occupied by rainfed agriculture. The total number of 2,81,733 famers engaged in agriculture out of which 213023 are Marginal farmers (76%), 45970 are Small farmers (16%), remaining 4615 farmers (8%) are medium and large farmers.

RAINFALL

The total rainfall received during 2017 is 1130mm against the Normal rainfall of 842mm with average of 59 rainy days.

MAJOR IRRIGATION SOURCES

The major reservoirs are KRP dam, Kelavarapalli Dam and Barur Lake. The prominent dams in the district namely KRP dam has a present water level at 39.05ft as against the full capacity of 52ft with command area of 9012 acre, Kelavarapalli dam water level 41.50ft against the full capacity of 44.28 feet with command area of 9083 acre and Barur Lake 12.900 feet with command area 2400 acre. The other major reservoirs are Pambar and Shoolagiri Chinnar with storage 280 Million Cubic feet and 112 Million cubic feet.

TECHNOLOGY INTERVENTION FOR INCREASING AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION AND PRODUCTIVITY IN KRISHNAGIRI DISTRICT

1. System of Rice Intensification (SRI)

Paddy is one of the major food grain cultivated in Krishnagiri District, an area of 24800 Ha with production of 1.32 Lakh metric tonnes. System of Rice Intensification (SRI) is a technology adopted for the significant increase of yield in Paddy crop. It is a proven technology that has picked up fast in the state and in Krishnagiri district, the technology is presently adopted in an area of 15,600ha during 2017-18. In our district the average yield obtained under SRI technology is 9,200 Kgs/ha. as against the average yield of 6,100 Kgs/Ha under conventional cultivation. It Has been programmed to bring atleast 66% of the total Paddy cultivated under SRI technology by conducting various demonstrations, trainings and awareness programmes to achieve a great boost in rice production in our district.

2. Paddy Machine Transplanting

Paddy machine planting technology was disseminated, popularized and implemented in an area of 1250ha and 581Ha under National Agricultural Development Programme during 2016-17 and 2017-18 respectively with Subsidy disbursement of Rs.91.55 Lakhs to 3875 farmers. Machine transplanting is highly labour saving, planting uniform depth, uniform spacing and maintaining plant density, fast coverage which ultimately reduce the cost of cultivation and increased the yield upto 15%.

3. System of Pulse Intensification (SPI)

Among the pulses, Redgram is one of the major crop grown in an area of 9,000Ha, Horsegram-17800 Ha, Blackgram 2780Ha, Cowpea -5450Ha and Other Pulses – 6720Ha as rainfed crop in our district. Redgram Transplantation technology in Redgram has proved to be a successful technology in our district with technology adoption of 2780 Ha, which was found to increase the yield from the conventional yield by one and half times. Redgram transplantation suitable varieties like, BRG-1, BRG-2, BRG-4 is used as a vegetable purpose which fetches a good market price in Hosur and Bangalore Market. There is a good scope for value addition of Redgram by marketting it as fried grains, nutritional powders, paruppu podi etc.SPI technology has adopted in 135 villages as a whole village concept with an extent of 9780ha in pulses which led an increased pulses production.

4. Sustainable Sugarcane Initiative (SSI)

In Our Krishnagri district the normal area of sugarcane is 650 ha with average productivity of sugarcane is 85MT/ha. In order to increase the productivity of sugarcane our hon’ble chief minister’s special scheme of Sustainable sugarcane initiative is implemented in 2017-18 SSI has been covered 125 ha. During the current year 50 ha of SSI area as to be Implemented. In this technology have single budded seedling production in using shadenet, fertigation with drip system, MN mixture and weedicide @ 50% subsidy. SSI has improved technology the sugarcane yield is increased upto 30-40% and recorded 115Mt/Ha.

5. Ragi – Line Planting and bringing more area under Irrigated Condition

Ragi Cultivated in an area of 44580Ha of which implementation of Line planting technology in an area of 15820 Ha adopted for maintaining of optimum plant population. Saving in quantity of seed required for sowing. Easy inter cultural operations fertilizer application, plant protection measures. Formation of tillers is increased in line planting which intern increase the yield. By the adoption of Ragi Line Planting increased the Ragi Productivity from 2828 Kg/Ha to 3324 Kg/Ha in 2017-18.

Scheme

1. PRADHAN MANTRI FASAL BIMA YOJANA (PMFBY)
2. Soil Health Card Scheme
3. AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT AGENCY