“Impact of Ranbir Canal Closure on Wheat Productivity"

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Date
2019-10
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Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu, Jammu
Abstract
In Irrigated belt of Jammu district of J&K state, Ranbir canal is the major source of irrigation. The canal takes its origins from River Chenab at Akhnoor, flows with gravity force and cover 60 km length within Jammu district and irrigate approximate 27,548 ha area under wheat crop. The canal opens from mid-April to end of December and remains closed from January to mid-April for de-siltation. Due to climate change in recent years, the farmers in the command areas are raising hue and cry even going to the extent of blockage of roads to open canal early as the productivity of wheat crop is declining by 10 to 40% due to the change in rainfall pattern as per their perception. The irrigation regimes affect the wheat crop productivity and non-availability of water at crucial stages in command area due to the closure of Ranbir canal system is one of the major factors for the decline in the crop productivity. In this study, rainfall data of 30 years on decadal basis of Jammu district was analyzed. The effect of rainfall v/s crop consumptive use of wheat crop calculated by modified penman method (crop coefficient and pan evaporation data) was compared. In the month of March, when the crop is at milky and later at dough stages, in the Ist decade rainfall is above the demand whereas it is almost same in second decade but it is only 49% in third decade clearly indicating that a deficiency of 51% which forced the farmers to cry for opening of canal at the earliest. In the month of April, the crop water demand is 94.5mm which was sufficiently met in the 1stand 2nddecade but it remains only 12% in 3rd decade showing a deficiency of 88%. Both these deficiency in March and April, makes the grain shrewled (undersize) hence decline in crop productivity as claimed by the farmers. Results further revealed that due to this shortage of water the farming community is suffering a huge loss of amounting to Rs. 17.7 crores. It is suggested that department of irrigation who is maintaining 60 Km main canal system should review the canal closure time for desiltation and repair work in January and February and water should be made available to farmers under each circumstances in month of March and onwards so that the productivity of wheat can be increased.
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