Know About Crops in India
Crops in India – Know About Kharif, Rabi & Zaid Crops in India!
Agriculture plays a vital role in the Indian economy. Agriculture is the backbone of our country. It includes farming of crops, animal husbandry, pisciculture, agro-forestry etc. Nearly 60% of Indian Population primarily depend on agriculture. Agriculture along with fisheries, forestry and other allied sectors contribute around 15.87% to the overall GDP of our country. The particular weather and soil conditions allow for crops in India uniquely suited to it. Let us take a look at the major crops in India.
| Sr. No | Cropping Season | Time Period | Crops | States |
| 1. | Rabi | Sown: October-December Harvested: April-June | Wheat, barley, peas, gram, mustard etc. | Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh |
| 2. | Kharif | Sown: June-July Harvested: September-October | Rice, maize, jowar, bajra, tur, moong, urad, cotton, jute, groundnut, soybean etc. | Assam, West Bengal, coastal regions of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Maharashtra |
| 3. | Zaid | Sown and harvested: March-July (between Rabi and Kharif) | Seasonal fruits, vegetables, fodder crops etc. | Most of the northern and northwestern states |
Crop Seasons in India
India is the top producer of many crops in the world. There can be many ways to divide the types of crops (based on area, season, economic value etc.). Based on seasons, the crops in India are divided into three types: Rabi, Kharif and Zaid.
Kharif Crops
- Sown in June-July when rains first begin (Monsoon crop).
- Harvested in September-October.
- Requires lot of water and hot weather to grow.
- Example: Rice, Jowar, Bajra, Maize, Cotton, Groundnut, Jute, Sugarcane, Turmeric, Pulses (like Urad Dal) etc.
Rabi Crops
- Sown in October-November
- Harvested in April-May.
- Requires warm climate for germination of seeds and maturation and cold climate for the growth.
- Example: Wheat, Oat, Gram, Pea, Barley, Potato, Tomato, Onion, Oil seeds (like Rapeseed, Sunflower, Sesame, Mustard) etc.
Zaid Crops
- Grown between March-June between Rabi and Kharif crop seasons.
- Early maturing crops.
- Example: Cucumber, Bitter Gourd, Pumpkin, Watermelon, Muskmelon, Moong Dal etc.
The major crops can all be divided into four main categories depending on their usage.
- Food Crops (Wheat, Maize, Rice, Millets and Pulses etc.)
- Cash Crops (Sugarcane, Tobacco, Cotton, Jute and Oilseeds etc.)
- Plantation Crops (Coffee, Coconut, Tea, and Rubber etc.)
- Horticulture Crops (Fruits and Vegetables)
Now let us look at the major crops in India in detail.
Rice
- Rice is a tropical crop that can be grown almost throughout the year.
- It depends on atmospheric moisture and rainfall for irrigation.
- India is the 2nd largest producer of rice in the world.
- India has largest area in world under rice cultivation.
- Productivity is low compared to wheat because Green Revolution primarily boosted wheat production in India.
- The traditional rice fields are known as paddy fields and require to be flooded with 10-12 cm deep water in the early stages.
Wheat
- It is the 2nd most important food crop in India. It is a Rabi crop.
- India stands second in production of wheat worldwide.
- It is more flexible in terms of climactic and other conditions of growth.
| Major Crops in India | Wheat |
| Type of Crop | Rabi |
| Varieties | Kalyan Sona, Sonalika, Heera |
| Temperature | 17-20 °C |
| Rainfall | 20-100 cm (ideal ~75 cm) |
| Soil type | Clay loam, Sandy loam |
| Major Producers | Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Bihar, Gujarat, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Uttarakhand |
| Highest Producer | Uttar Pradesh |
| Highest per Hectare Yield | Punjab |
| Research Centre | Karnal, Haryana |
| Highest Producing Country | China |
Cotton
- Cotton is a tropical and subtropical Kharif crop.
- It is a fiber crop and is known as ‘White gold’.
- India ranks 3rd in the Exporting of cotton worldwide.
- It is a dry crop but roots need timely supply of water at maturity.
| Major Crops in India | Cotton |
| Type of Crop | Kharif |
| Varieties | Long Staple, Medium Staple, Short Staple |
| Temperature | 21-30 °C |
| Rainfall | 50-100 cm |
| Soil type | Black soil (Highly water retentive soil) |
| Major Producers | Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Orissa |
| Highest Producer | Gujarat (According to the 2015 report) |
| Research Centre | Nagpur, Maharashtra |
| Highest Producing Country | India |
Jute
- Jute is a tropical plant that requires hot and humid climate.
- It is one of the most important natural fibres in terms of cultivation and usage.
- Almost 85% of the world’s jute is cultivated in the Ganges Delta.
| Major Crops in India | Jute |
| Type of Crop | Zaid |
| Varieties | White Jute, Tossa Jute |
| Temperature | 24-35 °C |
| Rainfall | 125-200 cm |
| Soil type | Sandy and Clay Loam |
| Major Producers | West Bengal, Bihar, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh |
| Highest Producer | West Bengal |
| Highest per Hectare Yield | West Bengal |
| Research Centre | Kolkata & Nilgunj, West Bengal |
| Highest Producing Country | India (but highest exporter is Bangladesh) |
Sugarcane
- Sugarcane is an important cash crop. India stands at 2nd position among all countries in the world in its production.
- Sugarcane crop requires long rainy season of at least 7-8 months.
- Traditional Sugarcane Production was in North India but it has also shifted to South India.
- North India Sugarcane are of sub-tropical variety and so have low sugar content.
- Also sugar factories have to remain shut in winter seasons in North India.
- South India- Tropical Variety and coastal areas hence have high sugar content and high yield.
| Major Crops in India | Sugarcane |
| Type of Crop | Kharif, Rabi |
| Temperature | 20-26 °C |
| Rainfall | 75-150 cm |
| Soil type | Clayey Loamy Soil/ Black Cotton Soil/ Red Loamy Soil/ Brown Loamy Soil |
| Major Producers | Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Punjab |
| Highest Producer | Uttar Pradesh |
| Highest per Hectare Yield | Tamil Nadu |
| Research Centre | Lucknow |
| Highest Producing Country | Brazil |
Tea
- Tea is an evergreen plant that mainly grows in tropical and subtropical climates.
- Tea is a labour intensive crop and 50% of the labourers are women.
- It grows faster under light shade. Commercial cultivation of tea started in India from British era.
- India is the 2nd largest producer and the largest consumer of tea in the world.
- Tea plants require high rainfall but its roots cannot tolerate water logging. Hence, it requires sloppy areas.
| Major Crops in India | Tea |
| Temperature | 20-30 °C |
| Rainfall | 150-300 cm |
| Soil type | Loamy soil which is acidic in nature and rich in organic matter. |
| Major Producers | Assam, Darjeeling (West Bengal), Meghalaya, Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka |
| Highest Producer | Assam |
| Research Centre | Tocklai, Assam |
| Highest Producing Country | China |
Coffee
- Coffees are grown in shade and commonly with two tiers of shade.
- Growing altitudes of coffee range between 1,000 to 1,500 m above sea level for Arabica (premier coffee), and 500 to 1,000 m for Robusta (lower quality).
- Both varieties are planted in well-drained soil conditions that favour rich organic matter.
- Coffee plantation is done along hilly slope.
- Slopes of Arabica tend to be gentle to moderate, while Robusta slopes are gentle to fairly level.
| Major Crops in India | Coffee |
| Varieties | Arabica and Robusta |
| Temperature | 16-28°C |
| Rainfall | 150-250 cm |
| Soil type | Well-drained forest loam |
| Major Producers | Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland |
| Highest Producer | Karnataka |
| Highest Producing Country | Brazil |
Spices
India has been known for its spices since ancient times.
- Cardamom (Queen of Aromatic Spices) – Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu
- Pepper (King of Spices) – Kerala
- Chillies – Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan
- Turmeric – Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu
- Nutmeg – Kerala
- Arecanut – Kerala, Karnataka, Tripura, Assam
- Coconut – Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh
- Cinnamon – Kerala
- Clove – Kerala
- Ginger – Kerala, Meghalaya, Sikkim
| Major Crops in India | Spices |
| Location | 1000-2000m altitude of Western Ghats and other hilly areas |
| Temperature | 10-30 °C |
| Rainfall | 200-300 cm |
| Soil type | Loamy soil/ Lateritic soil |
| Major Producers | Kerala, Karnataka |
| Highest Producer | Kerala |
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