Abstract

                                Of the different problems concerning Indian agricul ture, the need for increase in the production of food crops is one that is receiving wide attention at the present time. The problem. has sprung into prominence with the outbreak of the war, and assumed importance all over the country. With the introduction and spread of cash crops, the area under food crops gradually went down. Among the cash crops the Virginia tobacco in certain parts of this presidency is to a certain extent responsible for this change. The assured and ready market which facilitated the con- version of the cured stuff into coin, coupled with its suitability as an alter- native crop to some of the food crops grown in the dry lands, that fetched very low returns, gave the necessary impetus to the farmers to take up to the cultivation of virginia tobacco. These two encouraging factors were mainly responsible for the rapid and extensive spread of this crop in Kovvur taluk of the West Godavari district during the past five years. Many a farmer has even migrated into the neighbouring taluks in quest of suitable land for raising this crop. In general the enormous increase in the cultivation of Virginia tobacco during the last four years reduced considerably the acreage under food crops, and exercised a deleterious effect on the soil which was cultivated without rest or rotation. Insufficiency of fodder and grazing for cattle was also keenly felt. With a view to ascertain these effects in detail a close study was made of the agricultural conditions before and after the introduction of the tobacco crop and the results of this study are presented in this paper.

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