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Latha Venkatraman

Several State governments are opening up to the idea of micro-irrigation as a measure to combat water shortages, low land usages and droughts.

Mumbai , March 30

NETAFIM Irrigation India Pvt. Ltd, with an eye on the growing micro-irrigation market, is scouting for partners in the area of sprinklers and polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

In a bid to further gain from the 40-50 per cent growth in micro-irrigation, the company is expanding its basket of irrigation solutions. However, its focus will centre on subsurface drop irrigation projects, said Mr Zvi Feler, Managing Director, Netafim Irrigation India.

Several State governments are opening up to the idea of micro-irrigation as a measure to combat water shortages, low land usages and droughts. Andhra Pradesh is among the leading States in the endeavour to switch to drip irrigation and has embarked on Rs 1,120-crore project to cover 2.5 lakh hectares in the next two years.

Other States including Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Kerala and West Bengal have evinced interest in drip irrigation, Mr Feler said.

Netafim is one of the companies, which has bagged a part of the micro-irrigation project in Andhra Pradesh. "We have been awarded 17 per cent of the project's first phase," he said.

India, according to him, is the second on the list of countries, which have opted for micro-irrigation after the US. "By 2006, India should be the leading country in drip irrigation," Mr Feler said. According to the taskforce on micro-irrigation, 50 per cent of the cultivated area will remain under rain-fed agriculture.

It estimates that the share of water for agriculture is likely to get reduced from the current level of 84 per cent to 69 per cent by 2025.

On the other hand, the demand for water for agricultural purposes is estimated to increase from 470 cubic kilometre in 1985 to 740 cubic kilometre in 2025. During the same period, the demand for non-agricultural use of water will multiply four-fold, from 70 cubic kilometre to 280 cubic kilometre.

Jain Irrigation Systems Ltd has also been making a case for adopting micro-irrigation instead of creating new dams. The company's Chairman, Mr B.H. Jain, in a presentation to the taskforce had earlier urged the Government to go slow on some of the proposed investments on irrigation dams and instead optimise water usage and efficiency in the existing irrigated areas through micro-irrigation.

According to Mr Feler, drip irrigation can be put to use for most crops barring wheat and paddy for which the ratio of cost benefit is high.

Currently, India contributes three per cent to the global revenues of Netafim. But the growth for drip irrigation is around 50 per cent in the regular market, he said.

More Stories on : Outlook | Cultivation | Water

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