|
Agriculture
 Agriculture
in Gujarat forms a vital sector of the state's economy. It has to provide
the required food grains for the state's population and raw materials
for most of the agro-based industries. Unsuitable climatic conditions
in some parts and rocky terrain with thin or no soils in others, have
limited the area suitable for cultivation. The difficulty of drainage
in coastal areas and in the two Ranns has made a large part of the state
agriculturally unproductive.
The state's agricultural productivity is low. The yields are poor and in most
cases do not even approach the low level of average yield for the country. Low
yields result from poor soils, inadequate rainfall, frequent droughts and
floods, bad drainage and undeveloped irrigation facilities. A characteristic
feature of the state's agriculture is its cropping pattern un-proportionately
dominated by cash crops. The high yield of cotton in fact the highest in the
country, reflects the overall emphasis
on cash crops, which have claimed the best agricultural land.
A higher percentage of
the land is used for cultivation in central Gujarat.
Kaira, Baroda, Broach and Surat districts are the main contributors to the
agricultural production of the state. Valsad has become India's first integrated
horticulture district.
The state produces a large variety of crops and its cropping pattern reflects
the spatial variations in climate and topography. Groundnut (highest production
in the country), cotton, Tobacco (second highest production in the country),
isabgul, cumin sugarcane, Jawar, Bajra, Rice, Wheat, Pulses, Tur and Gram are the important crops of
Gujarat. Another cash crop which has recently entered the field though in a few
selected localities is banana. Plenty of mangoes for export as
well as home consumption are part of cash crops.
Honey,
wax and bamboo are produced in fair quantities in different forests and
medicinal herbs and fruits like Jamun and guava are produced in plenty.
Forests also yield considerable quantities of teak, Khair, sadad, hadariyo,
manual bamboos and such good quality of wood.
|
