Vol. 12, Special Issue 10 (2023)

Author(s):
Akula Eswar, Dr. P Radhika, Dr. CH Srilatha and Dr. K Supriya

Abstract:
Water is very important for farming, but it's becoming scarce because it is needed for energy, industry, and homes. In India, a lot of water for crops is used through old-fashioned methods, which waste a lot of it. This means only about 35-40% actually helps the plants. This not only wastes money but also hurts the environment by lowering the water level underground, causing waterlogged soil, and making it too salty for plants. To balance it micro irrigation is a clever way to use water better. It saves a lot of water compared to the traditional methods. It is good for all kinds of land, even the tough ones like hills or uneven ground. It helps crops grow better and uses much less water up to 90% less. The present study is conducted in the Eluru district of Andhra Pradesh. For conducting the study, five major micro irrigation companies operating in the Eluru district of Andhra Pradesh are considered based on their market share. Three distribution partners of each selected firm operating in the region is interviewed to collect the data. For collecting the data from the farmers, 12 farmers each for each identified firm is purposely selected from the records maintained by the firms. Hence, a total of 15 distribution partners and 60 farmers will form the sample. From the study it is observed that in Andhra Pradesh, there are some major companies like Signet Industrial Ltd. Finolex Plasson Industries Ltd. Jain Irrigation Systems Ltd. Captain Polyplast Ltd. and Skipper Metzer India LLP. These companies mainly make a limited range of parts for micro irrigation systems. Only Signet Industrial Ltd and Jain Irrigation Systems Ltd. are really good at promoting their products in the study area. Captain Polyplast Ltd. and Skipper Metzer India LLP doesn't cover all the districts in Andhra Pradesh. The government sets the prices for these products.