In this section, you will learn about the cropping patterns and major crops of India. This article is very important for the exams conducted by UPSC, SSC and other state level commissions and boards. We advise you to go through this topic seriously.
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Major Crops in India
India is a home of a variety of food and non food crops due to its diverse soils, climatic patterns etc. The major crops among them are Rice, Wheat, Jawar, Bajra etc. They are discussed in detail below:
1. Rice
- Type: Rice is a Kharif crop, which grows best in areas of warm, humid climate.
- Requirements:
- Temperature: 20°C to 35°C.
- Rainfall: Well-distributed rainfall of about 100 cm or irrigation facilities.
- Soil: Delta and valley soils are the most suitable. Soils with higher clay content are preferred due to better moisture retention capacity.
- Major Producing States:
- West Bengal (highest producer).
- Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab (highest per hectare yield), Bihar, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Haryana.
- Cultivation: About 25% of the arable land is used for rice cultivation.
- Global Rank: India is the 2nd largest producer of rice in the world after China.
2. Wheat
- Cultivation Area: Grown on about 14% of the total arable area of the country. It is primarily a crop of the temperate zone.
- Season: Cultivated during the winter or Rabi season.
- Requirements:
- Temperature: 15°C to 20°C.
- Rainfall: Moderate rainfall of 25-75 cm.
- Soil: Well-drained loamy and clayey soils are ideal.
- Major Producing States: Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan.
3. Jawar
- Type: Jawar is a rainfed crop mostly grown in moist areas that hardly need irrigation.
- Requirements:
- Rainfall: Moderate rainfall of 30-100 cm.
- Temperature: High temperatures ranging from 20°C to 32°C. Excessive moisture and prolonged drought are harmful.
- Soil: Well-drained light soils are ideal.
- Major Producing States:
- Maharashtra (produces more than half of the total jowar production in the country).
- Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana.
- Season:
- Kharif and Rabi seasons in southern states.
- Kharif crop in northern India where it is mostly grown as a fodder crop.
4. Bajra
- Climate: Sown in hot and dry climatic conditions in the western parts of the country.
- Requirements:
- Rainfall: Annual rainfall of 45 cm.
- Temperature: Ranging between 25°C to 30°C.
- Soil: Grows well in sandy soils and shallow black soils.
- Major Producing States: Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana.
5. Maize
- Type: A food as well as fodder crop, grown under semi-arid climatic conditions and over inferior soils.
- Cultivation Area: Occupies only about 3.6% of the total cropped area.
- Climate: It is a crop of a semi-arid climate and is used both as food and fodder.
- Requirements:
- Temperature: 21°C to 27°C.
- Rainfall: 50-100 cm.
- Climate: Alternate spells of rains and sunny weather are ideal.
- Soil: Alluvial and red soils with good drainage.
- Season: It is a Kharif crop, but in some states like Bihar, it is grown in the Rabi season as well.
- Major Producing States: Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh.
6. Groundnuts
- Global Contribution: India produces about 18.8% of the total groundnut production in the world (2018).
- Geographical Condition:
- A rainfed Kharif crop of drylands.
- In southern India, it is cultivated during the Rabi season as well.
- Distribution:
- Covers about 3.6% of the total cropped area in the country.
- Producers: Gujarat, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra.
- Yield: Comparatively high in Tamil Nadu (where it is partly irrigated). The yield is low in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka.
7. Mustard
- Season: Cultivated during the Rabi season in north-western and central parts of India.
- Sensitivity: A frost-sensitive crop; its yield fluctuates from year to year.
- Improvement:
- With the expansion of irrigation and improvements in seed technology, yields have improved and stabilized to some extent.
- About 2/3 of the cultivated area under these crops is irrigated.
- Distribution:
- These oilseeds together occupy only about 2.5% of the total cropped area in the country.
- Rajasthan contributes about 1/3 of the production. Other leading producers include Haryana and Madhya Pradesh.
- Yield: Higher in Haryana and Rajasthan.
8. Soyabean & Sunflower
- Soyabean:
- Grown in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.
- These two states together produce about 90% of the total output of soyabean in the country.
- Sunflower:
- Cultivation is concentrated in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and adjoining areas of Maharashtra.
- It is a minor crop in the northern parts of the country, where its yield is high due to irrigation.
9. Jute
- Global Rank: India is the largest producer of jute, followed by Bangladesh and China.
- Trade: In terms of exports, Bangladesh takes the lead, accounting for 3/4 of global jute exports compared to India’s 7%.
- Geographical Conditions:
- Temperature: Between 25°C and 35°C.
- Rainfall: Around 150-250 cm.
- Soil: Well-drained alluvial soil.
- Distribution:
- Concentrated in eastern India due to the rich alluvial soil of the Ganga-Brahmaputra Delta.
- Major producing states: West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Meghalaya, and Tripura.
10. Cotton
- Global Rank: India ranks 2nd in the world in cotton production, after China.
- Historical Context:
- India lost a large proportion of its cotton-growing area to Pakistan during partition.
- The acreage has increased considerably over the last 50 years.
- Geographical Conditions:
- A crop of tropical and subtropical areas requiring uniformly high temperatures between 21°C and 30°C.
- Growth is retarded when the temperature falls below 20°C.
- Frost is the enemy of cotton plants. It is grown in areas with at least 210 frost-free days in a year.
- Water Requirement:
- Average annual rainfall of 50-100 cm is sufficient.
- Can also be grown in areas of lesser rainfall with the help of irrigation.
- About 1/3 of the total area under cotton cultivation is irrigated.
11. Sugarcane
- Global Rank: India is the 2nd largest producer of sugarcane in the world, after Brazil.
- Contribution: Accounts for about 19.7% of the world’s sugarcane production but occupies only 2.4% of the total cropped area in the country.
- Season: Grown as a Kharif crop.
- Climate:
- Requires hot and humid conditions with an average temperature of 21°C to 27°C.
- Rainfall: 75-150 cm.
- Soil: Grows in any soil that can retain moisture, but the ideal soil is rich loamy soil.
12. Tea
- Global Rank:
- India is the 2nd largest tea producer and the largest black tea producer after China.
- India is the 4th largest exporter of tea in the world.
- Consumption: India is also the largest consumer of tea, accounting for 18% of total world tea consumption.
- Requirements:
- Climate: Tea requires a cool to warm climate with at least 5 hours of sunlight per day.
- Temperature: 15°C to 23°C.
- Rainfall: 150-200 cm annually.
- Key Areas: Suitable for cultivation in regions with favorable climate and rainfall.
13. Coffee
- Varieties: There are 3 varieties of coffee:
- Arabica, Robusta, and Liberica.
- India mostly grows superior quality coffee, Arabica, which is in great demand in the international market.
- Global Rank: India produces only about 3.17% of the world’s coffee and ranks at No. 8 globally.
- Conditions for Growth:
- Climate: Hot and humid climate.
- Temperature: 15°C to 28°C.
- Rainfall: 150-250 cm annually.
- Soil: Well-drained, rich friable loams containing a good deal of humus and minerals like iron and calcium are ideal for coffee cultivation.
- Key Regions:
- Coffee is cultivated in the highlands of the Western Ghats in Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.
- Karnataka: Accounts for over 2/3 of the total coffee production in the country.
So, this was all about the cropping patterns and major crops of India. We are sure that you might have found this article useful.