Agricultural Productivity of the Baramati Tahsil, Pune District (Maharashtra)

Abstract

The present study is an attempt to identify agricultural productivity region of Baramati tahsil in Pune district for its better landuse planning. Baramati tahsil is situated in east part in Pune district covering 1382 square kilometer area and having 479690 populations (2011). This taluka consists of 117 revenue villages with one urban settlement. Administratively, this taluka has divided into six revenue circles. Population density of taluka is 347 persons per square kilometer (2011). The study region extends from 18o 2΄ 44'' N to 18° 23΄19'' North latitudes and 74° 13΄ 8'' E to 74° 42΄ 47'' East longitudes. The region falls under scarcity zone having rainfall between 400 to 500 mm. Monsoon generally commences in June, occurring highest rainfall in June (158 mm) and lowest in December (12 mm). The highest mean temperature is observed in May (34.6 0 centigrade) and lowest in January (18.5 0 centigrade). The slope of region is towards northwest and southeast. The study area has basaltic base having step like topography. Baramati tahsil is somewhat rectangular in shape. The study region is mainly agrarian having 84.89 percent net sown area of the total geographical area. Enyedi's method was chosen to compute crop productivity for Baramati tahsil because of its accuracy. Productivity index values were calculated for six sample villages for the year 2010-11 and demarcated the productivity regions as very high, high, medium, low and very low productivity regions. Enyedi's productivity index values were calculated for sample villages are representative to entire tahsil for the year 2010-11 and the productivity regions were demarcated by using the same method for fixing the class intervals as shown in a Map is prepared with the help of productivity Indices.