According to villagers, the annual agricultural income of the farmers jointly using modern irrigation practices in over 400 hectares — cotton covering 295 hectares and the rest under groundnut cultivation — has hiked from Rs 2 crore before 2005 to Rs 6 crore now.

The farmers say the yield of groundnut has gone up from 1,000 kg per hectares in 2005 to 2,500 kg per hectare in 2008. Similarly, potato yield has also gone up from 30,000 kg per hectare in 2005 to 35,000-37,000 kg per hectare in 2008, resulting in huge increase in income.

According to Agriculture Department officials, there are nine other villages in the state where farmers have shifted to drip and sprinkler irrigation over the last five years. The officials say the income of farmers in Bhairav village in Surat district has increased from Rs 2.5 crore per annum to Rs 4 crore with the introduction of new irrigation system.

Papaya production in this village rose from 40,000 kg per hectare to 48,000 per hectare. Similarly, sugarcane production witnessed an increase from 55 metric tones to 70 metric tones per hectares, with per hectare increase in income from Rs 40,000 to Rs 60,000.