CH AGRICULTURE

India is an agricultural country because of the following reasons:

1. Two-third of its population is engaged in agricultural activities.
2. Agriculture is a primary activity.
3. It produces most of the food and food grains.
4. It produces raw materials for our various industries, e.g., cotton textile, sugar
industry.
5. Agricultural products, like tea, coffee, and spices are exported and earn foreign
exchange.
Types of Farming
The cultivation methods depend upon the characteristics of the physical environment,
technological know-how and socio-cultural practices. Farming varies from subsistence
to commercial type. In different parts of India, the following farming systems are
practiced.
Primitive Subsistence Farming
 This type of farming is practiced in a few pockets of India on small patches of land
using primitive tools and family/community labour.
 Land productivity is low in this type of agriculture.
 This type of farming depends on the monsoon.
 This farming is practiced in a few parts of India.
 This type of shifting allows nature to replenish the fertility of the soil.
It is a ‘slash and burn’ agriculture. Farmers clear a patch of land and produce
cereals and other food crops. When the soil fertility decreases, the farmers shift and
clear a fresh patch of land for cultivation. It is known by different names in different
parts of the country. It is known as jhumming in the north-eastern states.
Intensive Subsistence Farming
 This type of farming is practiced in areas of high population pressure on land.
 It is labour-intensive farming, where high doses of biochemical inputs and irrigation
are used for higher production.
 Yield per hectare is high because high doses of biochemical inputs and irrigation are
used.
 The size of the land holdings is small and uneconomical.
 Farmers take the maximum output from the limited land by raising 2-3 crops in a year
from the same land, i.e., multiple cropping is practiced.
Commercial Farming
 In this, crops are mainly grown for commercial purposes.
 It is practiced on large pieces of land on scientific and commercial lines using
machines and modem technology.
 There is a higher use of modern agricultural inputs, e.g., HYV seeds, fertilizers,
irrigation, etc.
 The degree of commercialization varies from one region to another.
 Rice is a commercial crop in Punjab, while in Odisha it is a subsistence crop. E.g.,
plantation agriculture.
Plantation Agriculture---
 It is a type of commercial farming in which a single crop is grown in a large area.
 Plantations cover large tracts of land, using capital-intensive inputs.
 Lot of migrant laborers work on these estates.
 The plantation has an interface of agriculture and industry.
 All the produce is used as a raw material in industries.
 The production is mainly for the market, i.e., commercial agriculture.
 Eg: Tea, Coffee, Rubber, Sugarcane, Banana.

Cropping Pattern
India has three cropping seasons:
1. Rabi
2. Kharif
3. Zaid

Cropping Rabi Kharif Zaid

seasons

Sowing Winter from Beginning of In between the Rabi

Season October to the rainy and the Kharif
December season between seasons, there is a
April and May short season during
the summer months
Harvesting Summer September- known as the Zaid
Season from October season (in the
months of March to
 April to July)
June

Important Wheat, Paddy, Maize, Watermelon,

Crops Barley, Jowar, Bajra, Muskmelon,
Peas, Gram Tur (Arhar), Cucumber,
and Moong, Urad, Vegetables and
Mustard. Cotton, Jute, Fodder crops
Groundnut and
Soyabean.

Major Crops in India

A variety of food and non-food crops are grown in different parts of India, depending
upon the variations in soil, climate and cultivation practices. Major crops grown in
India are:
 Rice
 Wheat
 Millets
 Pulses
 Tea
 Coffee
 Sugarcane
 oil seeds
 Cotton
 Jute
Rice
1. TYPE OF CROP: It is a Kharif crop Rice is the staple food crop of the majority of
the population. India is the second largest producer of rice in the world after China.
2. Climate: Paddy is a tropical crop and grows well in the wet monsoon.
3. Temperature: It also requires a temperature above 25oC coupled with heavy
humidity.
4. Rainfall: It requires an annual rainfall above 100 cm. It requires heavy rainfall in
summer and irrigation in areas of less rainfall.
5. Areas of Cultivation: Rice is grown in the plains of north and north-eastern India,
coastal areas and the deltaic region. The development of dense network of canal
irrigation and tube wells has made it possible to grow rice in areas has rainfall such as
Punjab, Haryana and Western Uttar Pradesh, and parts of Rajasthan

Wheat
1. The second most important cereal crop: Wheat is the second most important
cereal crop. It is Rabi Crop. It is the main food crop, in north and north-western parts
of the country.
2. Soil Type: Alluvial soil and black soil
3. Temperature: It requires a cool growing season and bright sunshine at the time of
ripening.
4. Rainfall: It requires 50 to 75 cm of annual rainfall evenly distributed over the growing
season.
5. Areas of Cultivation: There are two prominent wheat growing zones in the country-
the Ganga-Sutlej plain in the north-west and black soil region of Deccan. Wheat
producing states are Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan and certain parts
of Madhya Pradesh.
Millets
1. Jowar, Bajra and Ragi are the important millets grown in India.
2. These are known as coarse grains and have very high nutritional value.

Jowar Bajra Ragi

3rd most important Grows well on sandy It is a crop of dry regions.

food crop with respect soils and shallow
to area and black soil.
production.

It is a rain-fed crop Grows well on red, black,

mostly grown in the sandy, loamy and shallow
moist areas. black soils.

Mainly produced in Major producing Major producing states are

Maharashtra, states are Rajasthan, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu,
Karnataka, Andhra Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh,
 Pradesh and Madhya Maharashtra, Gujarat Uttarakhand, Sikkim,
Pradesh. and Haryana. Jharkhand and Arunachal
Pradesh.

Maize
1. Type of crop: It is a Kharif crop. Maize is a crop that is used both as food and fodder.
2. Climate: It requires 140 frost free days
3. Soil Type: It grows well in old alluvial soil.
4. Temperature: It requires a temperature between 21o C to 27oC .
5. Rainfall: It requires annual rainfall between 60 to 120 cm
6. Areas of Cultivation: In some states like Bihar maize is grown in the Rabi season
also. The use of modern inputs such as HYV seeds, fertilizers, and irrigation have
contributed to the increasing production of maize. Major maize-producing states are
Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar.
Pulses
1. India is the largest producer and consumer of pulses in the world.
2. Pulses are the major source of protein in a vegetarian diet.
3. Major pulses grown in India are Tur (Arhar), Urad, Moong, Masur, Peas and Gram.
4. Maximum pulses are known as leguminous crops.
5. Pulses are mostly grown in rotation with other crops so that the soil restores fertility.
It helps in the fixation of nitrogen.
6. Pulses are grown in rotation with other crops as they help in restoring soil fertility by
using nitrogen from the air
7. Major pulse-producing states are Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Uttar
Pradesh and Karnataka.
Food Crops other than Grains
Sugarcane
1. It is a tropical as well as a subtropical crop. India is the second largest producer of
sugarcane, while Brazil is the number one.
2. It grows well in hot and humid climates with a temperature of 21°C to 27°C and
annual rainfall between 75cm to 100cm.
3. It can be grown on a variety of soils.
4. Needs manual labour from sowing to harvesting.
5. Sugarcane is the main source of Sugar, Gur (Jaggery), Khansari and molasses.
6. The major sugarcane-producing states are Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka,
Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab and Haryana are major sugar producing
states.
 The sugarcane industry is seasonal in nature.
 It means that it employs people for only a few months in a year.
 It is suited to the co-operative sector as sometimes both the farmers and the owners of
the sugarcane mill may work together with each other to benefit one another.
 While the farmers may sell their produce directly to the mill owners, the latter may buy
sugarcane directly from the farmers.
 This avoids the exploitation of the farmers by the moneylenders. This also helps in
stabilizing the prices of sugar, gur, and jaggery
Oil Seeds

Different oil seeds are grown covering approximately 12% of the total cropped area of
India.
 Oilseeds have been the backbone of the agricultural economy of India for along. Indian
vegetable oil economy is the fourth largest in the world next to USA, Chi,na and
Brazil.
 Oilseed crops play the second most important role in the Indian agricultural economy
next to food grains in terms of area and production.
 The Indian climate is suitable for the cultivation of oilseed crops; therefore, large
varieties of oilseeds are cultivated here. 
 India is the largest producer of oilseeds. Groundnut, mustard, coconut, sesame,
soyabean, castor, cotton seeds, linseed, and sunflower are the main oilseeds grown in
India.
.Main oil seeds produced in India are:
 Groundnut: is a Kharif crop and accounts for half of the major oilseeds produced in
India. Gujarat is the largest producer of groundnuts. Groundnut accounts for about
half of the major oilseeds produced in the country. Andhra Pradesh is the largest
producer of groundnut; followed by Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Gujarat, and
Maharashtra. Groundnut is a kharif crop.
 Linseed and mustard are rabi crops. Sesame is a Kharif crop in the north and a rabi
crop in the south.
 Castor is grown both as rabi and Kharif crops.
 Sesamum (til): is a Kharif crop in the north and rabi crop in south India.
 Castor seeds: It is grown as both Rabi and Kharif crop.
 Linseed: is a rabi crop.
 Coconut
 Soyabean
 Cotton seeds
 Sunflower
BEVERAGE CROPS
Tea
1. Type of crop: It is also an important beverage crop introduced by the British in
India. India is the leading producer and exporter of tea in the world.
2. Climate: Tea plants grow well in tropical and subtropical climates. Tea thrives well in
a hot and humid climate.
3. Soil Type: The soil requirement is deep fertile well-drained soil that is rich in humus
and organic matter.
4. Temperature: Ideal temperature for growth is 200 to 300 C.
5. Rainfall: 150 to 300 cm annual rainfall is required. High humidity and frequent
showers evenly distributed throughout the year are good for rapid development of
tender leaves.
6. Tea is a labour-intensive industry. Tea bushes require warm and moist frost-free
climate all through the year.
7. Major tea-producing states are Assam, the hills of Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts,
West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala.
Coffee
1.Type of crop :It is the second most important beverage crop of India. Indian coffee is
known for its quality and is hence in great demand all over the world. The variety
produced in India is the Arabica variety which was initially brought from Yemen.
2.Climate: It requires hot and humid climatic conditions for growth.
3.Soil Type: The soil requirement is deep fertile well-drained soil that is rich in humus
and organic matter.
4.Temperature and Rainfall: It requires 15˚C and 28˚ C and rainfall 50 to 200 cm
annually.
5.Areas of Cultivation: Its cultivation was initiated on Baba Buden hills and is today
confined to the Nilgiri in Karnataka Kerala and Tamil Nadu
 Horticulture Crops
India is a producer of tropical as well as temperate fruits. Major crops produced are
pea, cauliflower, onion, cabbage, tomato, brinjal and potato. Some of the famous
horticulture crops grown in India are:
 Mangoes of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and West
Bengal Oranges of Nagpur and Cherrapunjee (Meghalaya), bananas of Kerala,
Mizoram, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.
 Lichi and Guava of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar
 Pineapples of Meghalaya
 Grapes of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Maharashtra
 Apples, pears, apricots and walnuts of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh
Non-Food Crops

Rubber Fibre Cotton Jute

It is an equatorial Cotton, Jute, It is a Kharif crop. It is known as the

crop. Hemp and golden fibre.
Natural Silk are
the four major
fibre crops.

It requires a moist Cotton, Jute and It requires high It grows well on

and humid climate Hemp are grown temperature, light well-drained
with rainfall of more in the soil. rainfall, 210 frost- fertile soils in the
than 200cm and free days and flood plains.
temperature above bright sunshine for High temperature
25°C. its growth. is required for its
growth.

It is an important Natural Silk is Cotton grows It is used in

industrial raw obtained from well in black making gunny
material cocoons of the cotton soil of the bags, mats, ropes,
silkworms fed Deccan plateau. yarn, carpets and
on green leaves other artefacts.

Mainly grown in Rearing of Major cotton- Major jute

 Kerala, Tamil Nadu, silkworms for producing states producing states
Karnataka and the production are Maharashtra, are West Bengal,
Andaman and of silk fibre is Gujarat, Madhya Bihar, Assam,
Nicobar islands and known as Pradesh, Odisha and
Garo hills of Sericulture. Karnataka, Andhra Meghalaya.
Meghalaya. Pradesh,
Telangana, Tamil
Nadu, Punjab,
Haryana and
Uttar Pradesh.

Technological and Institutional Reforms

Agriculture provides a livelihood for more than 60% of its population, so this sector
needs some serious technical and institutional reforms. "The Government of India
has introduced various institutional and technological reforms to reforms to
improve agriculture in the 1980s and 1990s” The Green Revolution and the White
Revolution were some of the reforms initiated by people to improve agriculture.
Some Initiatives taken by the Government are:
Technological Reforms:
1.Wooden plough was replaced with tractors and tillers.
2.Drip irrigation and sprinklers are now used for irrigation which irrigates more area in
less water.
3.Use of chemical and bio-fertilizers have increased manifold. HYV Seeds, pesticides,
and insecticides are also used more.
4.Biotechnology has developed a much genetically improved variety of seed that is
resistant to drought and pests. They give more production also.
5.Farmers are now using TV, Radio, Newspapers, and Cell Phones to know about weather
conditions and according they plan agricultural activities.
Institutional Reforms:
1.Zamindari system was abolished by the Government of India.
2.Small fields were consolidated to make large fields. Collectivization and consolidation
of land holdings to make them economically viable.
3.Agriculture was the main focus of the first Five Years Plan. Establishment of ‘Grameen
Banks’, Cooperative Societies and Banks.
4. Provision of crop insurance to protect the farmers against losses caused by natural
calamities, i.e., drought, flood, cyclone, fire and disease
5.Kissan Credit Card [KCC], Personal Accident Insurance Scheme [PAIS] was started by
Govt. to help Indian farmers.
6.Govt. also announces Minimum Support Price and remunerative and procurement prices
for important crops and has abolished the role of middleman in the market.
Bhoodan – Gramdan & Land Reforms(imp)
Land reform was the main focus of the First Five Year Plan. Vinoba Bhave started the
Bhoodan Andolan to encourage big landlords to donate a part of their land to landless
farmers. Many people came out in support of Vinoba Bhave and donated land.
Small plot size hampers proper farm management. To improve the condition, the
government brought certain measures for land reform. In some states, the land was
redistributed so that all of the land owned by a farmer could come on a single plot. The
reform was successful in some states (like Punjab and UP) but could not be
implemented throughout the country, because of poor response by farmers.