CHH. SAMBHAJI NAGAR

Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj district, formerly Aurangabad, in Maharashtra’s Marathwada region, spans nine talukas: Aurangabad, Paithan, Sillod, Kannad, Vaijapur, Gangapur, Phulambri, Khuldabad, and Soygaon. Its agrarian economy relies on crops like cotton, sorghum, and soybeans, with livestock and fisheries as key secondary sectors. These activities support rural livelihoods, providing income stability amid farming uncertainties. Below is a detailed account of livestock rearing, fisheries, markets, and development efforts, drawing on regional patterns and state initiatives.

Livestock rearing is a secondary occupation for most farmers in the Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj district, complementing agriculture. According to locals, only a few rely on it as their primary income source, while most integrate it with crop farming to diversify earnings and generate capital. The district’s livestock includes cattle, buffalo, goats, sheep, and poultry, each serving distinct purposes.

Farmers in the Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj district rear diverse livestock, integrating animal husbandry with agriculture. Cattle, including indigenous breeds like Deoni, Gaolao, and Gir, are valued for milk and draft work, with Deoni yielding three to five liters daily due to its resilience. The Gir breed, less common, offers higher milk output, while crossbreeds like Jersey appear in urban areas like Aurangabad city. Cattle feed on maize stalks, sorghum, and oilseed cakes. Murrah buffaloes, producing six to eight liters of milk daily, dominate dairy farming, supported by small cooperatives in Paithan taluka, with Nagpuri and Jaffrabadi breeds less prevalent. Buffaloes graze on kukus, local rice straw, and green fodder from irrigated fields. Osmanabadi and Beetal goats, reared for meat, thrive on marginal lands, are raised in herds of ten to twenty by small farmers and self-help groups (SHGs), and are fed pachrangi fodder mixing wheat, tur, and grain shells. Deccani sheep, less common, are raised for wool and meat in Sillod and Kannad talukas, sustained by grass and crop residues. Poultry farming, a primary income source for some, involves breeds like Kadaknath, prized for medicinal meat, and Leghorn, for eggs, with farmers in Gangapur taluka supplying eggs to Aurangabad city markets.

Livestock practices have evolved significantly. Hand milking has largely shifted to milking machines in dairy-heavy areas like Vaijapur, improving efficiency. Tractors have replaced bullocks for plowing, reducing draft animal demand. Traditional grazing, where a villager led cattle to forests, has declined. Farmers now grow fodder on their land, using crops like maize and lucerne, feeding livestock directly. These changes reflect modernization and increased agricultural self-sufficiency.

Veterinary care supports livestock health. Key facilities include:

• Veterinary Hospital, Aurangabad city
• Pet Care Clinic, Chikalthana, Aurangabad
• Animal Health Centre, Paithan. The Animal Husbandry Department organizes workshops under the Assistance to States for Control of Animal Diseases (ASCAD) program, covering breeding, disease control, and vaccination. Data on veterinary numbers is unavailable, but services are accessible in urban and taluka centers.

Livestock markets operate across the district, trading cattle, buffalo, goats, and poultry. Key markets include:

In Aurangabad city, this weekly market on Sundays from 7:00 am to 2:00 pm trades fifty to one hundred animals. Farmers from Gangapur and Khuldabad talukas sell cattle and goats.

A weekly market on Tuesdays in Paithan taluka trades thirty to fifty cattle and buffaloes, serving nearby villages.

Held Fridays in Sillod taluka, it focuses on goats and poultry, with twenty to forty animals traded.

Fisheries in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj district rely on inland water bodies, including the Godavari River, its tributaries (Shivna and Purna), and reservoirs like Jayakwadi. These support capture and culture fisheries, providing affordable protein and employment.

Capture Fisheries: The Godavari and Jayakwadi reservoirs yield fish like Rohu, Catla, Mrigal, and catfish. Fishermen use gill nets and cast nets, operating small boats. The annual fish catch is estimated at one hundred to one hundred fifty metric tons per regional pattern.

Culture Fisheries: Fish farming occurs in ponds and smaller reservoirs. Farmers stock carp species, supported by state-provided fish seeds. The Jayakwadi reservoir, covering eight thousand hectares, is a key site for cage culture trials.

Fishing is often a part-time occupation, with communities like Kahar, Bhoi, and Koli leading the sector. These groups, primarily Hindu, live along riverbanks in talukas like Paithan and Gangapur. Some Gond and Bhil indigenous communities also fish, alongside a few Muslim families. Most fishermen farm crops, balancing income sources.

Fish markets in Aurangabad city and talukas like Sillod sell fresh catches daily from 6:00 am to 12:00 pm. Traders distribute fish to local eateries and neighboring districts. Stalls near Jayakwadi reservoir offer Rohu and Catla, priced at one hundred to two hundred rupees per kg.