AGRICULTURE

India is an agriculturally important country. Two-thirds of its population is

Agriculture and our dependence engaged in agricultural activities.
over it. Agriculture is a primary activity, which produces most of the food that we
consume.
Besides food grains, it also produces raw material for various industries.
Some agricultural products, like tea, coffee and spices, are exported and earn
foreign exchange.
The share of agriculture in providing employment and livelihood to the
population is significant

Can you name some industries based on agricultural

raw material?

Agro-based industries use agricultural products as raw

materials. Two examples of agro- based industries
are cotton textile industry and jute industry.
 Types of farming
Over these years, cultivation methods have changed significantly depending upon the characteristics of
physical environment (relief, soil and climate.), technological know-how and socio-cultural practices.

Primitive subsistence agriculture is practised on small patches of land with

the help of primitive tools like hoe, dao and digging sticks, and
Primitive Subsistence Farming family/community labour.
This type of farming depends upon monsoon, natural fertility of the soil
When the soil fertility decreases, the farmers shift to another plot of land.

Shifting Agriculture-It is the most primitive farming type practiced by the

‘slash and burn’ agriculture tribal people. Farmers clear a patch of land and produce cereals and other
food crops to sustain their family. When the soil fertility decreases, the
farmers shift and clear a fresh patch of land for cultivation.
; land productivity in this type of agriculture is low as the farmer does not
use fertilisers or other modern inputs.
It is jhumming in north-eastern states like Assam, It Is known by different names in different parts of the country.
Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland; Pamlou in Manipur,
Dipa in Bastar district of Chhattishgarh, and in Andaman
and Nicobar Islands

Bewar’ or ‘dahiya’ in Madhya pradesh, ‘podu’ or ‘penda’ in Andhra ’ Agriculture is known as ‘milpa’ in Mexico and
pradesh, ‘pama dabi’ or ‘koman’ or bringa’ in Odisha, ‘kumari’ in central America, ‘Conoco’ in venzuela, ‘Roca’ in
western ghats, ‘valre’ or ‘waltre’ in south-eastern rajasthan, ‘khil’ in Brazil, ‘masole’ in central Africa, ‘ladang’ in
the Himalayan belt, ‘kuruwa’ in Jharkhand, and ‘jhumming’ in the Indonesia, ‘ray’ in Vietnam.
north-eastern region
 Intensive Subsistence
Farming
It is practised in areas of high
population More food for them Limited land
In this type of farming crops are
grown for family consumption.
Rice, wheat, maize,
are mainly grown with How to produce More?
the help of traditional
tools.

Why Limited land?

It is labour-intensive farming, where high doses

of biochemical inputs and irrigation are used for
obtaining higher production. So, yield per
hectare is high because high doses of ‘right of inheritance’ leading to the division of
biochemical inputs and irrigation are used. land so the size of the land-holdings is small and
uneconomical. but the farmers continue to take
maximum output from the limited land in the
absence of alternative source of livelihood.
Thus, there is enormous pressure on agricultural
land.
 Commercial Farming
The main characteristic of commercial farming is the use of higher
doses of modern input like high yielding varieties seeds (HYVs),
chemical fertilizers and pesticides to increase productivity.

Commercialisation of agriculture varies from one region to another. For

example, rice is a commercial crop in Haryana and Punjab, but in
Odisha, it is a subsistence crop.

In this type of farming, a single crop is grown on a large area.

Plantation is also a type of commercial farming
Tea, coffee, sugarcane, rubber, banana etc. are grown with the
help of modern inputs.

Plantation has an interface of agriculture and industry

Crops are mainly grown for the market or used in industry as
raw material.
A well-developed network of transport and communication
connecting the plantation areas, processing industries and
markets plays an important role in the development of
plantations.
 CROPPING PATTERN

In India, different crops are sown in different seasons. There are two major agricultural seasons in India (i) Kharif (ii) Rabi
Besides Kharif and Rabi crops, there are certain crops which are raised throughout the year. They are known as Zayad or 'Zaid'.

KHARIF RABI ZAID

Kharif crops are grown with Rabi season begins with March- April
Sowing period the onset of monsoon the onset of winter in
In the months of June and July October-November

In autumn months, i.e., in In March-April May -June

Harvesting period September and October.

Paddy, maize, jowar, bajra, tur Important rabi crops are Watermelon, muskmelon,
Crops (arhar), moong, urad, cotton,
wheat, barley, peas, cucumber, vegetables and
jute, groundnut and soyabean
gram and mustard fodder crops

Rainfall Western temperate cyclones Private Source of irrigation

Irrigation and canals like tube well

Region Important rice-growing regions are Assam, West States from the north and north
Bengal, coastal regions of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, western parts such as Punjab,
Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Maharashtra Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu
along with Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. and Kashmir, Uttarakhand and Uttar
Pradesh are important for the
In states like Assam, West Bengal and Odisha, three
production of wheat and other rabi
crops of paddy are grown in a year. These are Aus,
crops.
Aman and Boro.
 Crops Cropping Temperature Rainfall Area State Key point
Season
Rice Kharif Crop Required 250 C Above 100 Northern plains Orissa W-B, Bihar Most Important Cercal Crop.
It is the staple food crop of a majority high humidity cm North-eastern states T.N. In the areas of less rainfall, it
of the people in India. Our country is Deltaic Region grows with the help of
the second largest producer of rice in irrigation
the world after China.
Wheat Rabi Crop Cool growing season 50 to 75 Ganga-Satluj plains in Punjab, Haryana, Second most important
Bright Sunshine the northwest and black Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, cereal crop. It is the main
cm
during harvest. soil region of the Rajasthan and parts food crop
Deccan of Madhya Pradesh.
Maize Kharif Crop 210 c to 270 c 60 cm to Old alluvial tracks Karnataka, Uttar Used as both food and
110 cm Pradesh, Bihar, fodder
Can be Andhra Pradesh, In some states maize is
grown in
Telangana and grown in rabi season also
less rainfall
also Madhya Pradesh. HYV seeds, fertilizers and
irrigation have contributed
to the increasing production
of maize
Pulses [Arhar, Urad Cultivated 250 c to 300 c Average Evenly distributed M.P., Rajasthan, largest producer as well as the
consumer of pulses in the
Moong, Masur Peas and in Kharif, 45 cm all over the U.P., Karnataka
world
Gram] Rabi and Rainfall country source of protein in a
Zaid vegetarian diet.
seasons Pulses need less moisture and
survive even in dry conditions.
these crops except arhar help
in restoring soil fertility by
fixing nitrogen from the air
 Millets [High nutritional value]

Millets are called coarse grains. They are important because they have high nutritional value and make an important
part of the diet for poor people.
Most important millets are.

1. Ragi —Leading producer is Karnataka, followed by Tamil Nadu. Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand,
Uttaranchal, Sikkim etc are other important regions. Crops of dry region, grows well on Red, Black, Sandy
and loamy Soil. Ragi is rich in iron, calcium, other micro-nutrients and roughage.
2. Jowar— Third Most important Crop, Rainfed Crop, mostly grown in the moist areas which hardly needs
irrigation. Maharashtra is the leading producer followed by Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh.
3. Bajra—It grows well on sandy soils and shallow black soils. Rajasthan is the largest producer followed by
Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Haryana.
 Which is the second most important cereal crop of India? Write the
geographical conditions required for its growth.

Wheat is the second most important cereal crop of India. It

is the main food crop. Which is the most important food crop of India?
Geographical conditions: What is its position in world production?

1. Cool and moist growing season.

2. Bright sunshine at the time of ripening.
3. Rainfall: 50 to 75 cm evenly distributed over the
growing season.
4. Loamy soil is best for its growth.

Important wheat growing zones in India

• The Ganga-Sutlej plains in the North-West and

• Black soil region of the Deccan.

The major wheat producing states are: Punjab, Haryana,

Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
What is India’s position in the world with regard to the production
of pulses? Name five leading states producing pulses.

Pulses of Rabi season: Tur (arhar), urad, moong.

Pulses of Kharif season: Masur, peas, gram.

Importance of pulses

For agriculture. Being leguminous crops, they help in

restoring soil fertility by utilising nitrogen from the air
(nitrogen fixation). Therefore, these are mostly grown in
rotation with other crops.
They need less moisture and survive even in dry conditions.

(b) India is the largest producer of pulses in the world.

Major pulse producing states are: Madhya Pradesh, Uttar
Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Karnataka.
 Major Crops [Food Crops other than grains]

Sugarcane
It grows well in hot and humid climate.
Temperature: 21°C to 27°C.
Annual rainfall between 75 cm and 100 cm. Irrigation
is required in the regions of low rainfall.
It can be grown on a variety of soils.
It needs manual labour from sowing to harvesting.
India is Second largest Producer after Brazil
Raw material/source of sugar, Gur (jaggary), Kandsari
and molasses.
Major sugarcane-producing states are Uttar Pradesh,
Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamilnadu, Andhra Pradesh,
Telangana, Bihar, Punjab and Haryana.
 .
Oil seeds
In 2014 India was the second largest producer of
groundnut in the world after china
Different oil seeds are grown covering approximately
12 per cent of the total cropped area of the country

Major oilseeds produced in India are Groundnut,

mustard, coconut, sesamum (til), soyabean, castor
seeds, cotton seeds, linseed and sunflower.
Oilseeds Used in production of Soap, Cosmetics and
ointments cooking mediums.
Groundnut is a Kharif crop and constitutes 50% share
in the total oilseed production. Andhra Pradesh,
Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Gujarat and Maharashtra are
important producers of groundnut. Gujarat is the
largest producer of groundnut.

Linseed and mustard are rabi crops

Sesamum is a kharif crop in north and rabi crop in south India.
Castor seed is grown both as rabi and kharif crop.
Groundnut is a kharif crop and accounts for about half of the major oilseeds produced in the country
 Horticultural crops- Horticultural crops include the
vegetables, fruits, and nuts which are directly used by man
for food, the flowers and other ornamental plants uses visual
enjoyment, and for medicinal purposes.

Horticulture Crops
India is the largest producer of fruits and vegetables in the
world.
Mangoes grow in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar
Pradesh and West Bengal.
Bananas grow well in Kerala, Mizoram, Maharashtra and
Tamil Nadu.
Oranges grow well in Nagpur and Cherrapunjee
(Meghalaya).
Lichi and Guavas grow in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
Grapes grow well in Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.
Pineapple grows well in Meghalaya.
Apples, Pears, Apricots and Walnuts grow well in Jammu
and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.
India produces 13% of worlds vegetable.
Important producer of pea, cauliflower, onion, cabbage,
tomato, brinjal and potato.
 Major Crops [Food Crops Other than grains]

Tea
Tropical as well as subtropical Crops.

In 2008 India was the third largest producer of tea

after China and Turkey.

Plantation Crops Beverage Crop introduced in India

initially by the British.

Grow well on deep and fertile well drained Soil.

Requires warm and Moist, frost-free climate

Frequent and evenly distributed Rainfall.

Labour Intensive Industry

Processed within tea garden to restore freshness.

Major tea producing states are Assam, hills of

Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts, West Bengal, Tamil
Nadu and Kerala.

Apart from these, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand,

Meghalaya, Andhra Pradesh and Tripura are also tea-
producing states
 Coffee
Indian Coffee is known for its quality, Arabic Variety brought from Yemen.
India Produces 4% of world Coffee Production.
Initially produced in Baba Budan Hills.
Now also its production is confined to Nilgiri in Karnataka, Kerala and T.N
 Major Crops [Non-Food Crops]

Rubber
Equatorial Crop, but can be grown in tropical and Sub
tropical areas.
It is Important industrial raw material
It requires Moist and Humid climate.
It requires Rainfall more than 200 cm and Temperature more
than 25°C.
Mainly grown in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and
Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Garo hills of Meghalaya.
In 2010-11 India ranked fourth among the world’s natural
rubber producers.
 Fiber Crops

Fiber crops are field crops grown for their fibers, which are
traditionally used to make paper, cloth, or rope.
Cotton, jute, hemp and natural silk are the four major fibre crops
grown in India.
Cotton, jute and hemp are derived from the crops grown in the
soil.
Silk obtained from cocoons of the silkworms fed on green leaves
specially mulberry.
Rearing of silk worms for the production of silk fibre is known as
sericulture.
 Cotton

Raw material for Cotton textile Industry.

In 2008 India was second largest producer
of cotton after China.
Grows well on Black Soil.
High temp, low rainfall and 210 frost free
days, Bright Sunshine.
It is a kharif crop and requires 6 to 8
months to mature.
Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh,
Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana,
Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Haryana and Uttar
Pradesh.
 Jute

Known as Golden Fiber

High temperature and well drained fertile soil of flood
Plains for growth
used in making gunny bags, mats, ropes, yarn, carpets.
losing market due to High cost and synthetic fiber
[Nylon].
West Bengal, Bihar, Assam, Odisha and Meghalaya
are the major jute producing states
 Technological and Institutional Reforms Agriculture which provides livelihood for more than 60
per cent of its population.
Most of the farmers in large parts of the country still
In the 1980s and 1990s, a comprehensive land development depend upon monsoon and natural fertility.
programme was initiated, which included both institutional to ensure food security and growth of agricultural sector
and technical reforms. BUT WHY?
green revolution led to the concentration of
development in few selected areas.

Institutional Reforms
Technological Reforms

Collectivisation, Consolidation of holding,

Cooperation and abolition of Zamindari.

‘Land reform’ was the main focus of our First

Five Year Plan Green revolution and white revolution

Provision for Crop Insurance against drought, [Operation Flood]

flood Cyclone, fire and disease. Weather bulletins, Agricultural

Establishment of Grameen banks and programmers for farmer and Radio

Cooperative Societies for providing loans at and Television.
low intrest Rate. Subsidy on Agricultural products.

Kissan Credit Card (KCC), Personal Accident

Insurance Scheme PAIS, MSP etc.
 Bhoodan - Gramdan Movement

Bhoodan Gramdan Movement is called as

'Bloodless Revolution' as it is a non-violent
movement

Vinoba Bhave [spiritual heir of Mahatma Gandhi].

Idea of Gramswarajya and Padyatra undertook and
spreaded by him after Gandhi.

Incident in Pochampalli, A.P

Annoucement of Shri Ram Chandra Reddy to give 80

acres of land to 80 landless
villagers]. = This act was known as ‘Bhoodan

As the Idea Spread, Zamindars offered the villages owned

by them to be distributed among
landless]. = Gramdan

one reason was fear of land ceiling act.

 Contribution of agriculture to the national economy, employment and output

share in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

Share in Employment (High)
in 2010-11 about 52 per cent of the total work force
was employed by the farm sector which makes more
than half of the Indian Population
declining share of agriculture in the GDP is a matter of
serious concern

Steps taken to improve the situation

Establishment of Indian Council of

Agricultural Research (ICAR),
agricultural universities, veterinary
services and animal breeding centres,
horticulture development, research and
development in the field of meteorology
and weather forecast, improving the
rural infrastructure
 International Competition

Today, Indian farmers are facing a big

challenge from international competition

Reduction in the public investment in

agriculture sector.
Subsidy on fertilisers is decreased
Leading to increase in the cost of
production.
Reduction in import duties on agricultural
products have proved detrimental to
agriculture in the country.
Lead to increase in competition
 Impact of Globalization on Agriculture

Globalisation is not a new phenomenon. Recall Despite being an important producer of rice, cotton,
cotton export during british period rubber, tea, coffee, jute and spices our agricultural
products are not able to compete with the developed
countries because of the highly subsidised agriculture
After 1990, Indian farmers faced new challenges.
in those countries.

The gene revolution is the

application of biotechnology in
food production. It is of great
Competition in International market = Indian farmers are not able to potential to farmers as it
Complete. provides them with disease-free
planting material and develops
crops that resist pests and
Highly Subsidised agriculture in developed countries
diseases, reducing use of
[U.S.A. and Europeon Countries] chemicals that harm the
environment and human health.

Indian agriculture finds itself at the crossroads. OTHER ALTERNATIVES

Gene revolution, organic farming