Major Crops of India

India is top producer country of many crops. The major crops in India can be divided into four categories
viz. Food grains (Rice, Wheat, Maize, Millets and Pulses), Cash Crops (Cotton, Jute, Sugarcane, Tobacco,
and Oilseeds), Plantation Crops (Tea, Coffee, Coconut and, Rubber) and Horticulture crops such as Fruits
and Vegetables.
On the basis of seasons, the crops in India have been divided into Rabi, Kharif and Zaid crops.
Rabi, Kharif and Zaid Crops in India
Kharif crops
The Kharif crop is the summer crop or monsoon crop in India. Kharif crops are usually sown with the
beginning of the first rains in July, during the south-west monsoon season. Major Kharif crops of India
include Millets (Bajra and Jowar), Paddy (Rice), Maize, Moong (Pulses), Groundnut, Red Chillies, Cotton,
Soyabean, Sugarcane, Turmeric etc.
Rabi Crops
The Rabi crop is the spring harvest or winter crop in India . It is sown in October last and harvested in
March April every year. Major Rabi crops in India include Wheat, Barley, Mustard, Sesame, Peas etc.
Food grains
Rice is predominantly a Kharif or crop. It covers one third of total cultivated area of India. It provides
food to more than half of the Indian population.

Rice is produced in almost all states. Top three producer states are West Bengal, Punjab and Uttar
Pradesh. Other rice growing states include Tamilnadu, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand,
Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Assam and Maharashtra. It is also grown in Haryana,
Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Gujarat and Kashmir Valley.

Wheat is the second most important crop of India after Rice. Its a Rabi Crop. It is the staple food in
north and north western India. Its a winter crop and needs low temperature. Ideal temperature for
wheat cultivation is between 10-15C at the time of sowing and 21-26C at the time of harvesting.
Wheat thrives well in less than 100 cm and more than 75 cm rainfall. The most suitable soil for
cultivation of wheat is well drained fertile loamy soil and clayey soil. Plain areas are most suitable. The
wheat crop is highly mechanization oriented and may need less labour. Top three states producing
Wheat are Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana.
Goan economy-The

government and media try to sell the false idea that the Great Recession is over.
Economic indicators suggest otherwise. The media claims the U.S. is creating jobs. This may be true, but
the jobs they are creating are in India, Mexico, China and South Korea

There are three main types of economy: planned economy, market economy and mixed economy.
Planned (also known as command) types of economies were found in previously communist countries,
such as Romania, Bulgaria and Russia, and in North Korea today. In a planned economy the government
makes all decisions for society. Producers only make what they are instructed to make. The main
benefits are that most workers are employed and most people enjoy a similar basic lifestyle. The
problems, however, may be far-reaching:
1-a planned economy gives little capacity for development, so growth and investment is limited
2-the infrastructure is usually under-developed as government spends on other areas such as defence
3-wages are state-controlled, so people have less motivation to perform at higher levels
4-prices are fixed by government. Consumers often cannot afford luxury goods such as computers or
mobile phones, which are taken for granted in developed countries.

Introduction to Goa
Goa, popularly known as the pearl of the east', is famous for its churches, age-old ruins, palm-fringed
beaches, coconut groves, ferry rides, and bubbly folk music.
With its 131-km-long coastline, Goa is an important destination in every tourist's itinerary.
Sun, sand and sea being the major attractions, Goa is a perfect heaven for the ones who need and want
relaxation.
Goa is one of India's special places, a State seemingly blessed with fabulous weather, even more
fabulous beaches, delightful people, good food, hill-top forts, little white-washed churches, soaring
Portuguese-era cathedrals, a unique cultural legacy-small wonder, therefore, that Goa is one of India's
prime holiday destinations.
Goa is packed with jaded yuppies hoping to switch off and unwind for a few days, and sun-starved
Europeans, soaking up all that glorious sun and food.
The beaches in Goa, like the others along the Konkan coast, are long, and straight, and fringed with palm
trees, but unlike much of the neighboring coastline, Goa has an impressive infrastructure of hotels and
beach resorts, restaurants and bars, which cater to all price ranges, from top-notch 5-star luxury, to
hippy flop-shops.
Geography of Goa
Goa is located on the western coast of the Indian Peninsula, the state is separated from Maharashtra by
the Terekhol River in the north, Karnataka in the south, the Western Ghats in the east, and the Arabian
Sea in the West. The state is located between the latitudes 1548'00" North to 1453'54" North and
longitudes 74 20'13" East to 73 40'33" East.

Goa as a region can be divided into four divisions - the Eastern Hill region comprising areas in the
Western Ghats like Sattari, Ponda, Canacona, and Sanguem; the Central Valley Lands comprising
Pernem, Bicholim, Ponda, Eastern Sanguem, and Quepem; the Flood Plains comprising the coastal plains
and rolling uplands; and the Coastal Plains with areas of Tiswadi, Mormugao, Bardez, and Salcete.
Temperatures in Goa are moderate with not much variation. The summer is at its hottest in May while
the winter months of January and February are the coldest. Otherwise, the state experiences tropical
weather the rest of the year.
Goa receives rainfall from the Southwest monsoon between the months of June and September. July
receives the highest rainfall while February is the driest month.
Brief History of Goa
Goa was a part of the Mauryan Empire, around third century BC. The Satvahanas of Kolhapur, and the
Chalukyas of Badami, took over the governance later. Other dynasties followed, including a short-lived
Muslim invasion, until the Vijayanagar Empire established itself for almost a century. This era ended
with the arrival of the Sultans of Gulbarga, from whom the rule passed on to Adil Shah of Bijapur. Soon,
the Dutch, English, French and Portuguese, all began struggling for its possession. Ultimately, in 1510,
the Portuguese conquered Goa, with Alfonso de Albuquerque leading the invasion. Having ruled for
around four centuries, in 1961, fourteen years after the country's independence, the Portuguese had to
leave Goa.

Tourist influx started in Goa in the 60s and 70s of 20th century with hippies, followed by exploeres and
mass tourist traffic. In 1987, Goa was conferred statehood and Daman and Diu was made a separate
union territory.
Economy of Goa
Mining is one of the principal source of Goa's industrial and trade development and offers considerable
scope for employment. Mineral resources are an asset of Goa and iron ore is a leading commodity.
Other minerals include manganese ore and ferro-manganese ore, which are produced and exported, but
iron ore occupies the pride of place in Goa's economy. Some of the most productive and important
mines are located in the northern and eastern parts of Goa.
There are units manufacturing a variety of items like pesticides, fertilizers, tyres and tubes, iron ore
pellets, foot wear, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, sugar, wheat products, steel rolling, fruits and fish
canning, cashew nuts, textiles, brewery products etc.
There are handicrafts units mainly engaged in the manufacture of wood, crafts, brass, pottery,
handloom, leather and bamboo crafts etc.

Agriculture is one of the important economic activities in Goa. Goa has done much to improve and
develop its agriculture so that it becomes more productive and the farmers who work on the field get a
better return for their labour. Rice along with fish is the staple diet of the people and it is also a principal
agricultural crop. The important crops grown are paddy, ragi, maize, jowar, bajra and pulses. Cash crops
like coconut, cashew-nut, arecanut, mango, jackfruit, banana, pineapple etc. are also grown in
abundance. Sugarcane cultivation has been taken up only recently and a sugar factory has been set up in
Goa. Paddy is the principal crop of Goa. There are two paddy seasons, namely Kharif or sorod and the
rabi or vaingan. The monsoon crops are called the kharif or sorod crops and the winter crops are called
rabi or vaingan crops. The main sources of irrigation for winter crops are the nallahs, rivers and streams,
tanks, wells, canal etc. Crops grown in the Kharif season consist of paddy, ragi (locally called nachani)
and some pulses. Crops grown in the rabi season are comprised of paddy, pulses like horse-gram
(kulith), black gram (udid), a variety of beans and some vegetables. Cashew is an important crop in Goa.
An exhilarating drink called Feni is produced from cashew. It is a kind of gin or vodka.
A variety of mangoes are grown in Goa. Some of the famous Mango varieties are mancurade,
mussarade, fernandine, xavier, alfonsa, colaco etc. There are two varieties of jackfruit grown here
namely kapo (hard) and rasal (soft). The kind of vegetables grown in the Goa are brinjal, lady's fingers,
radish, cucumber, pumpkins, drumsticks, breadfruit and different varieties of gourds. Sweet potatoes,
chillies, onions are also