ChapterChapterChapterChapter ---- IIIIIIIIIIII

Profile of the Study Area and Materials and Methods

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CHAPTER – III

PROFILE OF THE STUDY AREA AND METHODS AND MATERIALS

3.1. PROFILE OF THE STUDY AREA

In this section, some key characteristics of the study district, sample

blocks and the three study villages are presented. This study gives an idea of

the general economic condition of the study region and of forces influencing

the agricultural new technology directly or indirectly in this region. Thanjavur

district is primarily an agricultural district enclosed with very good irrigation

system of the Cauvery. It is the first district of Tamilnadu, where all innovative

methods in agriculture were introduced in green revolution schemes to achieve

higher productivity in the farm sector.

3.1.1. Location and Administration

Thanjavur district is centrally located in Tamilnadu with an area of

3,39,657 sq.km. It is bounded by Tiruchirapalli in the West, Tiruvarur and

Nagai in the East, Pudukkottai on the South, Ariyalur and Perambalur district

North East and North with the head-quarters at Thanjavur town. The district

has three revenue divisions, Thanjavur, Kumbakonam and Pattukkottai. As

already noted, the district has been divided into 8 taluks for revenue

administration. The district further is divided into 3 blocks for development

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administration. There are 14 town panchayats, 22 townships, 3 municipalities,

906 villages with 589 village panchayats for local administration.

3.1.2. Population

The total population of Thanjavur district is 22,16,138. Out of which

10,96,638 are male and 11,19,500 are female. The density of the population is

659 per sq.m. The population accounts for 72 per cent in the total population

figure. Sex ratio in terms number of females for 1000 males is 993. The rate of

literates is 74.45% out of which 49.49 per cent are male and 50.51 per cent are

female.

3.1.3. Geographical area of Thanjavur district

The district being predominantly agricultural one is called the Rice

Bowl of the South. Out of the total geographical area of 3,397 lakh sq.km. The

net area under Paddy Crop is 160606 hectares. Cauvery is the chief river of the

district and has so many branches. The soil available in the area can be broadly

classified into two varieties namely sandy alluvial and ragar. Since the area lies

in the Cauvery delta, it contains more of alluvial soil which is the best for

agricultural purpose. The sandy alluvial soil is very fertile, which is mostly

suitable for cultivations of paddy, sugarcane, groundnut and pulses. The Rager

soil is most suited for growing tapioca, groundnuts and pulses. The major crop

in the area is paddy for which the whole of Thanjavur district is famous.

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3.1.4. Sources of water supply

Irrigation

The main source of irrigation in Thanjavur district is Cauvery, Mettur

reservoir stores Cauvery water from Karnataka. The major source of irrigation

in Thanjavur district. Cauvery river after the grand Anaikkat is divided into 37

branches. The main Aycut was 1505, B and C division in 283766 ayacuts. Its

length is 23,200 km in Thanjavur delta area. 211 lakh acres are cultivated by

the Cauvery water in Salem, Tiruchy, Thanjavur, Cuddalore, Karaikkal and

Erode districts. Major portion of 14½ lakhs acre is only in Thanjavur district.

River Cauvery has several tributaries, the Vennar, Kallanai Kalvai and Cauvery

Divisions. There are also innumerable streams and rivulets. The gross area

irrigated is 1,96,703 hectares, open wells irrigated 1105 hectares. Well

irrigation is mainly to supplement irrigation during the period of non-

availability of water in the canals as well as tanks. Thanjavur district has 25

canals with the length of 638.0 km, the tube wells and other wells are 49577.

Besides there are certain pockets where well is the major source of irrigation.

Hence the district can be divided into three sub regions as canal irrigation as

the predominant irrigation source, well irrigation and tank irrigation.

The following table presents the sources and extent of irrigation in

Thanjavur district (2008-09).

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Table - 3.1

Details of the sources and extent of irrigation in Thanjavur District

Block S.

No. Particulars

Thanjvur Orathanadu Papanasam

1. Flow irrigation Major and Medium

1345 14190 6436

2. Number of Tube Wells and others

1550 11926 3350

3. Number of open wells 984 120 4012

4. Number of wells used for domestic purpose only

26411 800 884

5. Number of tanks 111 200 210

Total 30401 27236 14892

Source: Director, Department of Economics and Statistics, Chennai-6 (2008).

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3.1.5. Land-use pattern / Land utilisation

Land utilization is therefore, of great importance particularly when it can

be put to alternative uses. Details are given in table 3.2.

Table - 3.2

The land utilization in Thanjavur district, Thanjav ur, Orathanadu and Papanasam block (2008-09)

(in acres)

S. No.

Particular Thanjavur

district Thanjavur

Oratha-nadu

Papa-nasam

1. Total geographical area 3396.57 27776 29206 10684

2. Forest 3516 3426 Nil 2

3. Land put into non-agricultural uses

291264 15945 8328 3940

4. Cultivable waste 6125 4946 1182 201

5. Permanent pastures and other grazing lands

126 126 348 10

6. Current follows 2701 810 1044 485

7. Net area sown 202867 19967 25506 7412

8. Area under paddy 160608 10477 23672 5893

9. Cultivation 251454 10477 23672 5893

10. Other fallow lands 62159 8648 4238 1919

Source: Assistant Director of Statistics, Thanjavur-2008-2009.

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3.1.6. Rainfall

Rainfall occurs during two season the South-West monsoon early June

to the end of September and North-East monsoon from early December. The

winter period occurs during early January to February and the hot weather

period during early March to April.

The rainfall distribution for the district is given in the following table.

Table - 3.3

Annual rainfall in Thanjavur district in 2007-2008 and 2008-09

(in millimeters) S.

No. Period

Normal Rainfall

Actual Rainfall

2008-09

1. South West Monsoon Period Total 342.0 354 303.1

Jun.2008-09 36.7 16.1 7.5

Jul. 2008-09 70.9 46.4 52.6

Aug. 2008-09 115.8 57.2 92.1

Sep. 2008-09 118.6 234.7 150.9

2. North East Monsoon Total 545.7 639 953.2

Oct. 2008-09 190.5 394.7 242.3

Nov. 2008-09 206.7 223.7 508.5

Dec. 2008-09 146.5 20.9 202.4

3. Winter Period Total 50.7 2.6 11.0

Jan. 2009-10 32.8 0.6 11.0

Feb. 2009-10 17.9 2.0 00

4. Hot Weather Period Total 114.6 205.3 132.8

Mar. 2009-10 21.9 9.7 39.0

Apr. 2009-10 36.1 93.4 28.8

May 2009-10 56.6 102.2 65.0

Total 1053.0 1201.6 1400.1

Source: District Statistical Office, Thanjavur – 2009-10.

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Table - 3.4

Temperature of Thanjavur district

(in °celsius)

Month Minimum Maximum Humidity (%)

(Average)

Jun.2009 22.20 37.00 70.00

Jul.2009 23.20 37.00 72.00

Aug.2009 22.60 37.40 62.00

Sep.2009 22.20 36.60 73.20

Oct.2009 22.00 34.70 82.60

Nov.2009 21.00 30.00 89.60

Dec.2009 19.50 32.00 81.40

Jan.2010 18.00 33.00 77.90

Feb.2010 21.80 37.00 68.40

Mar.2010 21.50 39.00 67.10

Apr.2010 22.50 39.00 77.20

May 2010 23.20 39.00 64.00

Source: District Statistical Office, Thanjavur – 2009-10.

3.1.7. Transport

Thanjavur district shows that there are 570.90 km of National

Highways, 268.510 km of State Highways, 405.519 km of Corporation and

Municipality road, 3705.639 km of Panchayat Union and Panchayat road,

474.939 km Town Panchayat road, 1874.932 km district major and other roads

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and 1300 km of forest road. The total length of train routes in the district in

2004-05 was 182.96 km consisting of 42 km of broad gauge to Kumbakonam

and 2007-08 55 km of broad gauge to Kumbakonam and 2007-08 consisting

55 km of broad guage to Thiruvarur. The quantity and quality of road available

have an important bearing on the mode speed and cost of movement of

foodgrains. Thanjavur town is located on the main railway line connecting

Chennai, another Eastern centre is Nagapattinam and Western centre is

Tiruchirapalli.

3.1.8. Communications

Postal, telegraphic and telephone services play a vital role in

communication. There are 307 post offices doing postal business, alone, 195

post offices doing post and telegraph business, there are 131557 telephone

connection, 1382 public call offices and 103 telephone exchanges.

3.1.9. Banking facilities

Thanjavur district has been served by a large number of Financial

Institutions, half the farmers and intermediaries in agricultural trade. There are

8 primary land development banks, 2 district, 257 primary agricultural

cooperative societies, 39 housing co-operative societies, 54 employees co-

operative societies, 25 lift irrigation schemes insurance offices, 55317 policies

issue officers and a number of private pawn brokers.

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3.1.10. Marketing Agencies

There are 13 regulated markets under the Thanjavur Market Committee.

Further market yards are located in all 8 taluk head quarters. Market

Committee operates rural godowns in 8 places of the district providing storage

facilities to the farmers. The farmers’ cooperative societies also procure

agriculture produce from the farmers, the primary objective of agricultural

marketing societies in marketing the agricultural produce of their numbers.

They also undertake addition of chemical fertilizer, agricultural inputs,

issue of pledge loan to enable growers to wait for better prices and recoveries

of cultivation loans through marketing. There is warehouse owned by central

ware housing operation at Thanjavur and 8 godowns of Tamilnadu Civil

Supplies Corporation in Thanjavur. One warehousing of Kuruthayal Sharma

Trust in private is located in Thanjavur.

3.1.11. Seed

The breeder seeds produced by Tamilnadu Agricultural University are

multiplied into foundation seeds in 39 State seed farms. And they are further

multiplied into certified seeds in the farmers’ holding. To ensure quality seeds

of certificate standard are being advocated. The seeds are processed in the 16

major, 3 medium and 51 mini seed processing units functioning in the country.

They are distributed through the agricultural centre.

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3.1.12. Selection of Blocks

In the first stage three Blocks out of 14 blocks have been selected for the

study by random sampling. The sampled three blocks are Orathanadu,

Papanasam, Kumbakonam. In the second stage one village is selected from

each Block again using random sampling. In the third stage 100 farmers were

selected from each village by random sampling method and with the help of list

of cultivator household available with Village Administrative Officers.

3.1.13. Kumbakonam Block

The total population of Kumbakonam block is 159047 out of which

79851 are male and 80196 are female. It is spread over an area of 39,27,989

km. The density per sq. km is 405. More than half (60%) of the villagers are

literates. The ratio is 992. The literacy ratio is 66.67 per cent. Scheduled caste

people account for 23.32 per cent of the total population. The total number of

villages is 75 per cent.

The climatic conditions of this area and other facilities are very

conducive for cultivators. The cultivators are also familiar with some slight

difference. 75 per cent of the area is river irrigated, plantain, sugarcane,

coconut, groundnut, green gram, block gram, banana, oil seeds and the major

food crop is paddy.

3.1.14. Orathanadu Block

The total population of Orathanadu Block is 1,65,466 of which 66,493

are males, and females are 66774. It is spread over an area of 409.79 sq. km.

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The density of per sq.km is 404. The sex ratio is 10.39. The literacy ratio is

40.05 per cent. Scheduled caste people account for 13.39 per cent of the total

population. The total number of village chavadies is 25. Orathanadu block has

its irrigation facilities mainly from the river Cauvery. The Cauvery and its

smaller canals help in the entire irrigation in Orathanadu Block. Drainage

facilities are provided by the smaller canals and rivers like Kallanai Kalvai.

Irrigation facilities are available for about eight months a year. Since most of

the areas in bock are irrigated by rivers canals and wells, there is no need for

other source of irrigation.

3.1.15. Papanasam Block

Papanasam is situated 25 km away from the district head quarters of

Thanjavur. This block consists of agriculture based villages. A famous 108-

Sivalaya temple is situated in the town. Another place Kabisthalam is also

found in the story of the Ramayana. Papanasam block consists of 48 Revenue

villages and 34 Village Panchayats. Papanasam Block is surrounded by T.Palur

Block of Perambalur district in the north, Thanjavur and Ammapet Block in the

South, Thiruvaiyaru Block in the West, Kumbakonam Block in the East.

Agriculture is the main occupation in this block. Paddy is the major crop of this

block. The other major crops next to paddy are sugarcane, blackgram and

banana. River fed water is the main source for irrigation. The total area is

143.58 sq. km.

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The population of Papanasam Block is 139951 of which 68403 are male,

71548 are females. The rural male population is 53516, and females are 55819.

Urban population of the male is 14887 and female is 15729. The density per

sq.km is 975. The sex ratio is 1046 (number of females per 1000 males). The

literary ratio is 66.13 per cent.

3.1.16. Educational institutions

There is a Tamil University and one Medical College, five Government

Colleges, four Aided Colleges, 18 Self-Finance Colleges, one Engineering and

Polytechnic for Women, 7 Engineering Colleges, three Deemed Universities,

one Government Music College, one Government College of Education, One

Arts and Crafts College, 112 Higher Secondary Schools, 13 High Schools, 215

Middle Schools and 113 Primary Schools.

3.1.17. Industries

There are several medium and small-scale industrial units in the district,

10 medium scale industries, 569 small scale industries, 300 cottage industries

and 125 other industries. Names of the important industries are Kings

Chemicals and Distilleries Ltd. in Vadaseri, SRVS in Kumbakonam, Thiru

Arooran Sugar Mill in Thirumandagudi, Arignar Anna Sugar Mill in

Kurungulam, 3 Modern Rice Mills in Ammanpettai, Pattukkottai and

Thirunageswaram.

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3.2. METHODS AND MATERIALS

3.2.1. Database and period of the study

The study has employed both primary and secondary data. The primary

data were collected for the financial year 2009-2010. The data were collected

from the respondents by using interview schedule method from May 2010 to

June 2010.

3.2.2. Sample Design

Thanjavur district was selected purposely for the study because it covers

major part of area under paddy cultivation Tamil Nadu. Three zones namely

(Papanasam), (Orathanadu) and (Kumbakonam) division were selected

purposely for the present study on the basis of the highest area under new

agricultural implementation. All paddy cultivating farmers were stratified into

three zones, from each zone there is one division selected based on intensive

paddy cultivation use of factors and other new agricultural technology, in total

there are three sample divisions. From the sample division farmers are

categorised and classified on the basis of land holding pattern, such as small

farmers, medium and large from each sampled division is done on the basis of

local consideration of each division (Irrigation potentiality, cropping pattern

and acres of paddy cultivation). From each sample division 100 sample

respondents have been selected and in total 300 samples are based on random

sampling method. The sample respondents are paddy cultivators. To study the

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new agricultural implementation a well structured interview schedule has been

prepared based on the objectives.

The structured interview schedule has been used to collect the necessary

information from the cultivators. Related secondary data have been collected

from the publications of Ministry of Agriculture, Fertiliser Statistics,

Directorate of Agriculture Chennai, Joint Director of Agricultural Office of

Thanjavur, Assistant Statistical Office of Thanjavur, etc.,

The holdings have been divided into four groups as show below.

0.01 – 2.50 acres - Small Farmers

2.51 – 5.00 acres - Medium Farmers

5.01 – 10.00 acres - Large Farmers

And above 10.00 acres - Land lords.

THANJAVUR DIVISION

Kumbakonam Orathanadu Papanasam

100 100 100

300

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To elucidate the scientific inference, Thanjavur division has been

classified into three divisions namely Kumbakonam, Orathanadu and

Papanasam. On the whole 300 samples have been taken for the present study.

3.2.3. Selection of crop and variety

Two paddy varieties have been selected to study the adoption of new

agricultural technology components. The two seasons are Samba (July to

November) and Thaladi (November to February). In Tamil Nadu, the farmers

cultivate long duration 140 to 160 days) varieties in Samba season.

Selection of new technological components for this study:

1. Seed

a. own seed

b. Co-villager’s seed purchase from other farmers)

c. Government Department Seed.

2. Fertilizers

a. Nitrogen

b. Phosphate (P)

c. Potash (K)

3. Pesticides

a. Liquid Potash

b. Seed Treatment

4. Weedicides

5. Irrigation

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6. Machinery

a. Tractors

b. Pumpset

3.2.4. Tools used for the study

The data collected through the interview schedule were scrutinized and

the statistical packages for social studies (SPSS 12.0) are used for analysis.

Apart from simple trend, percentage analysis, correlation the following tools

were used in the analysis of data. To measure the cost and returns of paddy

cultivation, multiple regression analysis has been used.