District Profile

 Preamble
The Yavatmal district of Central Vidarbha Zone of Maharashtra State is located between 20.39925” of North Latitude while 78.11792” of Eastern Longitude. The major area of the district is located in the Southern Plateau of Berar. It is surrounded by Amravati districts in the North, Akola and Parbhani districts in the West, Nanded and Adilabad districts in the South and Chandrapur and Wardha districts in the East.
The district comes under assured rainfall area of VIIIthAgroclimatic Zone with average annual rainfall of 1050 mm mostly received during June to September months from the north -eastern monsoon rains.
The soils of the district are 50% light (7.5 – 25 cm i.e. Entisol), 30% medium (26-50 cm i.e. Inceptisol) and 20% black cotton soils (91 – 100 cm i.e. Vertisol).

 Agricultural and allied census

Geographical area 13,51,966 hectare
Cultivable area 9,60,500 hectare
Area under Forest 2,03,147 hectare
Area under Kharif Crop 9,05,000 hectare
Area under Rabi Crop 87,000 hectare
Area under Summer Crop 7,000 hectare
Rainfed Area 8,37,946 hectare (7 to 8 % irrigated)
Total Number of farmers 4,17,402
Marginal (Less than 1.00 ha) 28,640 (6.86 %)
Small (1.00 to 2.00 ha)  1,61,227 (38.63 %)
Large (More than 2.00 ha) 2,27,535 (54.51 %)
Total Taluka’s 16
Minimum temp 9.4 0C
Maximum temp 47 0C
Average Rain fall (June to Dec.) 911.03 mm
Average number of rainy days 56

Major Crops

Kharif Cotton, Sorghum, Soybean, Tur,Green gram, Black gram
Rabi /Summer Wheat, Chickpea, Rabi Sorghum Summer Groundnut, Sugar cane (Annual)
Horticultural crops  Oranges, Sweet Oranges, Banana, Custard apple

Soil Type

Light soil 4,42,100 hectare (45.98 %)
Medium soil 2,20,800hectare (23 %)
Heavy soil 2,97,600hectare (31.02 %)

OTHER INFORMATION:

AGRO-CLIMATIC ZONES

The district Yavatmal falls under Agro-climatic Zone No. 8 i.e. Moderate Rainfall Zone. Only small western part of Darwaha & Ner Tahsils falls under assured rainfall zone No. 7. The Average rainfall received in this Zone usually exceeds 900 m. m. The climate is hot and dry. More than 75% rainfall in this zone is received in Kharifseason, hence Kharif cropping system Predominates in the zone. In general, all types of soils are observed in this zone. Preferably, medium and heavy in texture, fairly high in clay content, alkaline in reaction, high lime reserve with high base saturation of the exchange complex. The soils are severely eroded & shallow. They are uneven in depth and are uncertain by stony substrata. They are intercepted by gullies having rapid run off resulting in severe erosion & prone to drought ness.

Agro Ecological Situations (AES) Of Yavatmal District

Agro Ecological Situations Characteristics  Blocks Covered
I Medium to heavy soils, rainfed area Wani, Maregaon, ZariJamni
II  Light to medium soils, command area and well irrigation Umarkhed, Pusad, Digras, Mahagaon
III Mostly Rainfed Medium to heavy soils, Surrounded by forest. Pandharkawada, Ghatanji, Arni
IV Light to heavy soils, irrigation through wells, Horticulture crop pocket Yavatmal, Kalamb, Ralegaon
V Mostly rainfed light to Medium soils  Ner, Darwha, Babhulgaon

Major and Micro-Farming Systems:

Soil type Characteristics Area in ha
Shallow Very dark brown clay, blocky, slightly hard, crack visible, disintegrated murum  50 %
Deep Dark brown clay, cloddy, hard, lime nodules present thought the profile, Disintegrated murum 30 %
Very deep Very dark brown clay,cloddy, hard,full of lime concretion concretionincresing with depth  20 %

Major Farming Situation:

SN Farming Situation Cropping System exists
1 Medium to heavy soils, rainfed area Cotton – fallow, Soybean – Gram, Jower – Wheat – fallows
2 Light to medium soils, command area and well irrigation Citrus – vegetable (Intercrop)
Cotton – fallow
Red gram – fellow
Soybean – Bengal gram
3 Mostly Rainfed Medium to heavy soils, Surrounded by forest. Soybean – fallow
Cotton – fallow
Soybean – Bengal gram
4 Light to heavy soils, irrigation through wells, Horticulture crop pocket Citrus – Vegetable (Intercrop)
Cotton – Fallow
Soybean- Fallow
5 Mostly rainfed light to Medium soils Cotton – fallow
Soybean – Bengal gram
Soybean – Wheat

 Major farming systems/enterprises (based on the analysis made by the KVK)

Major farming system Micro Farming systems
Agriculture crops Agri + Horti + Dairy
Rainfed Cotton Agri + Dairy
Rainfed Soybean Agri + Goat farming
Rainfed Jawar Agri + Sericulture
Irrigated Wheat Agri + Horticulture
Irrigated Gram Agri. + Horti. + Poultry
Irrigated Summer Groundnut, Sesamum, Rabi Jawar  
Major Inter cropping systems Major production systems
Cotton + Tur (8:1) (12:2) Cotton – Gram 

Cotton – Wheat

 Soybean – Wheat

Soybean – Gram

Soybean – Rabi Jawar

Soybean – Summer Groundnut

Soybean + Tur (10:1)(5:1) Hy. Jawar – Wheat 

HyJawar – Gram

Turmeric

Description of Agro-climatic Zone & major agro ecological situations (based on soil and topography):

Agro-climatic Zone Characteristics
Agro-climatic Zone No.8 Moderate Rainfall Zone. Only small western part of Darwha&NerTahsils falls under assured rainfall zone No. 7. The Average rainfall received in this Zone usually exceeds 900 m. m. The climate is hot and dry. More than 75% rainfall in this zone is received in Kharif season; hence Kharif cropping system predominates in the zone. In general, all types of soils are observed in this zone. Preferably, medium and heavy in texture, fairly high in clay content, alkaline in reaction, high lime reserve with high base saturation of the exchange complex. The soils are severely eroded & shallow. They are uneven in depth and are undertain by stony substrata. They are intercepted by gullies having rapid run off resulting in severe erosion & prone to doughtiness.

 Major Agricultural and allied enterprises

S. N. Type of enterprises/commodities
1 Agricultural crops : Irrigated Cotton, Rainfed cotton, Sorghum, Pigeonpea, Soybean, Wheat, Chickpea, Sugarcane,
2 Horticulture crops : Orchards, Vegetable, Floriculture, Turmeric ,Chilly
3 Animal husbandry : Cows, Buffalos, sheep, Goat, Pigs
4 Fisheries
5 Sericulture
6 Poultry
7 Agriculture labour
8 Bee Keeping
9 Vermi –compost
10 Mushroom production
11 Value addition by processing of Pigeon pea , Vegetable , Soybean