Groundwater Irrigation and Cropping Pattern in the Ganga-Brahmaputra Alluvial Plain of Burdwan District, West Bengal

摘要

In this study, attempts have been made to overview the cropping patterns, the volume of groundwater used for different crops, total cost of cultivation per hectare including groundwater and net profits from different crops. The study has been conducted in the Katwa subdivision under the district of Burdwan, West Bengal, where both surface and groundwater are available for irrigation. Katwa subdivision is situated in the Ganga-Brahmaputra alluvial plain. Rice is the most dominant crop covered by 62%, and the remaining 38% by jute, potato, mustard, onion etc. Volume as well as cost of groundwater was maximum in the case of boro-rice and it was minimum in the case of jute. Cost of cultivation per hectare was maximum for onion and it was minimum for jute. The prices of agricultural commodities are usually determined by market factors of demand and supply. However, amount of profit per hectare was a maximum in the case of onion and was a minimum in the case of summer rice. Although, groundwater has played a key role in success of Green Revolution in India, excessive groundwater pumping can lead to the drying up of more shallow wells, requiring deeper tubewells, and increased pumping cost. From this study it may be suggested that to avoid the groundwater depletion and also to get higher returns, farmers should consider crop diversi?cation. It should be recommended that although, rice is the main food in West Bengal a shift away from the rice-rice cropping pattern to rice-potato-onion-jute.