» The history of agriculture in India dates back to Indus Valley Civilization Era and even before that in some parts of Southern India. Today, India ranks second worldwide in farm output.
» India
is top producer country of many crops. The major crops in India can be divided
into four categories viz.
1. Food
grains (Rice, Wheat, Maize, Millets and Pulses)
2. Cash
Crops (Cotton, Jute, Sugarcane, Tobacco, and Oilseeds)
3. Plantation
Crops (Tea, Coffee, Coconut and, Rubber) and
4. Horticulture Crops such as Fruits and Vegetables.
» Cash crop is a crop produced for its commercial value
rather than for use by the grower.
» Agriculture and
allied sectors like forestry and fisheries accounted
for 13.7% of the GDP (gross
domestic product) in 2013, about 50% of the workforce.
» On
the basis of seasons, the crops in India have been divided into Rabi, Kharif
and Zaid crops.
Kharif Crops
· Sown
in June-July when rains first begin during the south-west monsoon season
(Monsoon crop).
· Harvested
in September-October.
· Requires
lot of water and hot weather to grow.
· Major
Kharif crops of India include Millets (Bajra & Jowar), Cotton, Soyabean,
Sugarcane, Turmeric, Paddy (Rice), Maize, Moong (Pulses), Groundnut, Red
Chillies, etc.
Rabi Crops
· The
Rabi crop is the spring harvest or winter crop in India.
· 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.
Frequently asked:
Which crop among the
following has maximum area of cultivation in India?
Rice is the most cultivated
crop in India. India is the world's second-largest producer of rice, behind
China.
Is sugar cane a kharif or
rabi crop?
Kharif
What
is Zaid crops?
On the Indian sub-continent, the crops grown
on irrigated lands which do not have to wait for monsoons, in the short
duration between Rabi and Kharif crop season, mainly from
March to June, are called Zaid crops (also written as Zayad crops).
What
is Rabi and Kharif season?
The Indian cropping season is classified
into two main seasons-(i) Kharif and (ii)Rabi based
on the monsoon. The kharif cropping season is
from July –October during the south-west monsoon and the Rabi cropping season is
from October-March (winter). The crops grown between March and June are summer
crops.
See also:
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