This document summarizes a study on cropping patterns and changes in cropping patterns in the Panchaganga Basin region of south Maharashtra, India between 1973-1978 and 2003-2008. It finds that food grains make up 49.82% of agricultural land, with rice and jowar as the main food grains. Sugarcane cultivation increased significantly, rising from 31,770 hectares to 72,459 hectares. The increased sugarcane cultivation and additions of fruits, vegetables and spices led food crops to occupy 77.43% of land. Non-food crops like groundnuts and soybeans occupied smaller areas. Sugarcane dominated irrigated cropping, occupying over 3/4 of irrigated

1. Dr. M. N. Survase, A. V. Pore, Dr. C. T.
PawarDr. M. N. Survase – Asst. Professor & Head, Dept. of Geography,
Annasaheb .Dange A.C.S. College,
Hatkanagle Dist. Kolhapur.
A. V. Pore- Asst. Professor, Department of Geography,
K.B.P. Mahavidaylaya, Pandharpur.
Dr. C. T. Pawar- Former Professor and Head, Department of
Geography, Shivaji University, Kolhapur.

2. INTRODUCTION
 As a consequence of the higher level of adoption of new
agricultural technology, India became self sufficient in
food production.
 At the same time due to heavy agro-inputs and unscientific
agricultural practices, the problems of land degradation,
soil degradation in the form of soil becoming saline and
waterlogged have emerged as major challenges of irrigated
farming.
 Improper land use and cropping pattern results in to
degradation of land. Cropping pattern simply means the
proportion of area under different crops at a point of time,
whereas changes in cropping pattern refer to change in
proportion of area under different crops at two different
times.

3.  Such changes, though governed by ecological
situation, socio-economic and technological factors
also determine which of the feasible crops the farmers
will choose.
 In case of irrigated crops, the choices are directly
governed by the specific purpose for which the
irrigated crops are to be grown and these are also
conditioned by the geographical factors and modified
by the emergent, social and economic circumstances
(Mamoria, 1979).

4. OBJECTIVES
 Present paper therefore, aims to study cropping
pattern and changes therein for individual crops in
general and irrigated crops in particular in the region.

5. STUDY REGION
 The selected region for the present
investigation is the 'Panchaganga Basin'
of south Maharashtra state comprising 7
tahsils of Kolhapur district namely
Shahuwadi, Panhala, Gagan-Bawada,
Karveer, Hatkanagle, & Shirol (Fig. 1).
 The triangular tract region lies between
160 13" and 170 11" north latitude, and
730 41" and 740 42" east longitudes.
 It covers about 45752.2sq.km area and
supports 26, 11,547 (2.6 % of state)
population.
 The river Panchaganga is well- watered
and agriculturally developed part of the
state (Shinde, 1973).

6. This region is topographically
complex, having river valley flood
plains to the east and hilly ranges
to the west.
Climatically this region haves
temperate climate. The region
located in rain shadow zone of
Western Ghats receives a
decreasing amount of rainfall
from the west (6000mm) to east
(500mm). The soils of the region
are mainly derived from the
Deccan trap (Deshpande, 1971).
Pedologically this region has
laterite, brownish and black soils.

7. DATABASE AND METHODOLOGY
For the present investigation, data regarding area
under different crops has been compiled from
Socio-Economic Review and District Statistical
Abstracts of Kolhapur District, 1973- 78 and 2003-
08. Simple percentage of area under different crops
and group of crops has been computes of both
comparative periods and changes in this period
have been observed. The same analysis has been
made in case of irrigated cropping pattern.

8. CROPPING PATTERN AND CHANGES
 The area under study grows a variety of crops.
However, foodgrains constitute a major produce of
agricultural land (49.82%). The main foodgrains
grown are rice (32.48%), jowar (5.58%) and pulses
(4.72%).Among the non-food crops groundnut shares
(9.22%) major area followed by soyabean (5.59%) and
other oil seeds (5.01%). Among the irrigated crops
sugarcane alone shares over 3/4th of the irrigated land
followed by rice (7.07%), wheat (4.57%), fruits,
vegetables, condiments and spices.

17. CONCLUSIONS
 The spatial analysis of foodgrains reveals that
Radhanagri, Gagan Bawada and Shahuwadi tahsils are
having above 40% of gross cropped area under
foodgrains. The period under investigation has
witnessed phenomenal growth in the area under
sugarcane which rose from 31,770 hectares (13.45%) to
72,459 (23.48%). The significant increase over 20 per
cent of the cultivated area is confined to Shirol and
Gagan Bawada tahsils.

18.  When we include sugarcane, fruits and vegetables,
condiments and spices, the total food crops has
occupy about 77.43 per cent during the period
2001- 05. Among the non-food crops groundnut
shares (9.22%) major area followed by soyabean
(5.59%) and other oil seeds (5.01%). Among the
irrigated crops sugarcane alone shares over 3/4th of
the irrigated land followed by rice (7.07%), wheat
(4.57%), fruits, vegetables, condiments and spices.
The share of sugarcane has increased by 10.03
percent on the contrary the share of sereals has
decreased by 12.34 percent. The monotonous
cropping pattern results in land degradation.

19. REFERENCE
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