State & Crops by Dr. Gaurav Garg
Introduction
Types of Crops
The crops are of the following types depending upon the season in which they are grown:
A. Kharif
B. Rabi
Kharif Crops
● The crops which are grown in the monsoon season in the month of June-September are known as Kharif crops. For
eg., maize , millet , and cotton .
● The seeds are sown at the beginning of monsoon season and harvested at the end of the monsoon season, usually in the
month of October-November .
● Such crops require a lot of water and hot weather for proper growth.
Zaid Crops - March to June . Some crops require hot dry climate. E.g. Bitter Gourd , Pumpkin , Cucumber .
Rabi Crops
● The name “Rabi” means “spring” – a word derived from Arabic.
● The crops that are grown in the winter season and harvested in the spring , i.e., from the month of October to March are
called Rabi crops.
● Wheat , gram , and mustard are some of the Rabi crops.
● Various agricultural practices are carried out to produce new crop varieties.
● Such crops require a warm climate for the germination and maturation of seeds.
● They, however, require a cold climate for their growth.
Cash Crops
● A cash crop is the one that is cultivated to be sold in the market to earn profits from the sale.
● Most of the crops grown today worldwide are cash crops cultivated for selling in the national and international
markets.
● Examples - Coffee , cocoa , tea , sugarcane , cotton , and spices .
Tobacco
● India is the 2nd largest producer and exporter after China and Brazil respectively.
● Leading Tobacco Producing States -
○ Gujarat
○ Andhra Pradesh
○ Uttar Pradesh
○ Karnataka
○ West Bengal
● Tobacco is a cash crop , a cash crop is the one that is cultivated to be sold in the market to earn profits from the sale.
● Tobacco is a tropical crop in origin but it is grown in subtropical and temperate regions of the world.
● Normally, it requires about 100 to 120 days, frost-free climate with an average temperature of 20 °C to 30 °C between
transplanting and harvesting.
Gram
● Gram is a Rabi Crop .
● Rabi crops are known as winter crops. They are grown in the month of October or November. The crops are then
harvested in spring. These crops require frequent irrigation because these are grown in dry areas.
● Soil -
○ For cultivation of gram, loam or heavy loam, maar and pandua soil in which proper arrangement for water
drainage is available are suitable.
● Leading Gram Producing States -
○ Madhya Pradesh (Largest Producer, almost produces 40% of India’s total production)
○ Maharashtra
○ Rajasthan
○ Karnataka
● Varieties of Grams In India -
1. Green Gram Beans, Split Green Gram and split and skinned green gram (Mung or Moong)
2. Black Eyed Beans (Chawli or Lobia)
Pulses
● India is the largest consumer and producer of pulses in the world. Pulses can survive even in dry conditions. These are
leguminous crops and help in improving soil fertility by fixing atmospheric nitrogen.
● Pulses are a Rabi Crops .
● Leading Pulses Producing States -
○ Madhya Pradesh (Largest Producer, almost produces 1/3rd of India’s total production)
○ Rajasthan
○ Maharashtra
○ Uttar Pradesh
○ Karnataka
Rice
● Rice is a Kharif Crop .
● Kharif crops are the crops that are grown at the end of monsoon or at the beginning of the winter season.
● Geographical Indications -
✓ Wayanad Jeerakasala Rice, Wayanad Gandhakasala Rice, Kaipad Rice, Navara Rice, Palakkadan Matta Rice,
Pokkali Rice (Kerala).
✓ Kalanamak Rice (Uttar Pradesh).
✓ Joha Rice of Assam. One more rice of Assam is ‘Boka Saul Rice’.
✓ Ajara Ghansal Rice, Ambemohar Rice (Maharashtra).
✓ Tulaipanji Rice, Gobindobhog Rice (West Bengal).
✓ Chak-Hao (Black Rice) (Manipur).
✓ Katarni Rice (Bihar).
● Leading Rice Producing States -
○ West Bengal
○ Punjab
○ Uttar Pradesh
○ Andhra Pradesh
Sugarcane
● Sugarcane is a Cash crop .
● Sugarcane, which is the primary source of sugar, khandsari and gur in India, belongs to the bamboo family (grass
family is called ‘Poaceae’) and is indigenously grown in the country
● It needs a hot and humid climate with average temperature between 21° to 27°C and rainfall varying from 75 to 150
cm.
● Soils -
○ Sugarcane can grow in a variety of soils including black cotton soils, loams, brown or reddish loams, clayey
loams and even laterites. It can, in fact, tolerate any kind of soil that retains moisture. However, deep rich loamy
soil is ideal for it to thrive and grow.
● Major Sugarcane Producing States -
○ Uttar Pradesh (largest producer, almost produces 50% of India’s total production)
○ Maharashtra
○ Karnataka
○ Tamil Nadu
Jowar (Sorghum)
● It is a Kharif Crop .
● Sorghum plants are very hardy and can withstand high temperature and drought .
● It may be successfully grown under atmospheric temperature ranging between 15 0 C to 40 0 C
and annual rainfall ranging from 400 to 1000 mm.
● Sorghum is grown on a variety of soil types but the clayey loam soil rich in humus is found to
be the most ideal soil.
● Major Jowar Producing States -
○ Maharashtra (largest producer, almost produces 1/3rd of India’s total production)
○ Karnataka
○ Madhya Pradesh
○ Tamil Nadu
● Geographical Indications - Mangalwedha Jowar (Maharashtra).
Tur (Arhar)
● Tur is a Rabi Crop .
● Pigeonpea is predominantly a crop of tropical areas mainly cultivated in semi-arid regions of India.
● Pigeonpea can be grown with a temperature ranging from 26 0 C to 30 0 C in the rainy season (June to October) and 17 0 C
to 22 0 C in the post rainy (November to March) season.
● It is successfully grown in black cotton soils , well drained with a pH ranging from 7.0 - 8.5.
● Major Tur Producing States -
○ Maharashtra
○ Madhya Pradesh
○ Karnataka
○ Gujarat
● Geographical Indications - Navapur Tur Dal (Maharashtra), Gulbarga Tur Dal (Karnataka).
Cotton
● It is a Kharif Crop and cash crop of India.
● Cotton, a semi-xerophyte, is grown in tropical & subtropical conditions. A minimum temperature of 15 0 C is required
for better germination at field conditions.
● Cotton is grown on a variety of soils ranging from well drained deep alluvial soils in the north to black clayey soils of
varying depth in the central region and in black and mixed black and red soils in the south zone.
● Cotton is semi-tolerant to salinity and sensitive to water logging and thus prefers well drained soils.
● Major Cotton Producing States -
○ Gujarat (largest producer, almost produces 40% of India’s total production)
○ Maharashtra
○ Telangana
○ Andhra Pradesh
Rapeseed and Mustard
● Rapeseed/Toria and mustard are the third most important edible oilseed crops of the world after soybean and oil palm.
● Require cool and dry weather and a fair supply of soil moisture during the growing period and dry clear weather at the
time of maturity.
● In India they are grown in the Rabi season from September-October to February-March.
● Soil -
○ Sandy loam to clay loam soils but thrive best on light loam soils.
● Do not tolerate water logging conditions or heavy soils Soil having neutral pH is ideal for their proper growth and
development.
● Major Rapeseed and Mustard Producing States -
○ Rajasthan (largest producer, almost produces 40% of India’s total production)
○ Haryana
○ Madhya Pradesh
○ Uttar Pradesh
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