DRIP IRRIGATION

The very cost very from rs.4000/- acre gor coconut and other widely spaced crops to rs. 10000/- per acre for close spacing crops like cotton,sugarcane,vegetables and in between for crops having spacings in less than coconut and more than cotton.

The limitations in the system are high cost,sensitivity of clogging,salanity hazards,skill requirements.etc. Though the method is very popular all over the world, it has not been found due place in agriculture in India. Studies conducted in various countries including India have indicared that drip irrigation can be used for all row crops especially fruit,orchard,vegetables and other commercial crops. Drip irrigation is very well suited for water scarcity,shallow and sandy soil areas. Salt water up to 8-10m can be used for growing crops without affecting the yield for plantation crops

in hilly reasons such as cardamom, tree,coffee,rubber,oil palm,drip irrigation is very ideal. In scarcity area wells are depend at considerable cost to obtain more water for irrigation. Some of the problems can be solved if the farmers adopt the drip irrigation in these areas. It is found beyond doubt that these method is useful and advantageous to yhe farmers and hence the system is used in large scale in Tamilnadu and Maharashtra states . it is visualised that there is great potential for this advanced method of irrigation in all the states in the coming year. Drip irrigation is very popular with farming community especially in water scarcity areas for orchard and commercial crops. Economic of drip system of irrigation has been compared with surface method and the advantages of drip are significantly impressive over the latter when the water saved in property used for area expansion . it is accepted that initial capital investment is high. But the stream of income flow more than compensate fot the investment made with in a short interval. What is required in pragmatic management of

water resources of profit maximization under a water scarce condition.