MAJOR CROPS AND CROPPING PATTERNS IN INDIA

Three distinct agricultural seasons in India:

Kharif (July- October): Rice, Millets, Maize, Groundnut, Cotton

Rabi (November-March): Wheat, Sorghum, Gram, Barley, Oats
Zaid (April- June): Watermelon, Muskmelon, Cucumber, Vegetables

GRAINS
Crop Season, temperature, rainfall etc. Factoid Soil Areas/ States % of
cultivate
d area
Rice Kharif India is 2nd largest producer of Under the Major: Eastern, North-Eastern
rice in the world after China right climatic and South-Eastern states
High temperature (25+) conditions,
soil is usually Minor: Northern plains (Punjab,
High rainfall (annual 100cm +); in areas with not a Haryana, Western UP); a strip
low rainfall, irrigation is required (canal/ constraint, along the Western Coast
tubewell irrigation has made it possible to but alluvial
grow rice in Haryana and Punjab; but is leading soil is
to declining water tables. In contrast, Bihars preferred
water tables are not being utilized well enough
due to lack of energy and other infrastructure)
Wheat Rabi Loam is best Major: Ganga-Satluj plains in the
(Loam is soil north, and black soil region in
Cool climate, with sunshine at the time of containing Deccan (Punjab, Haryana, UP,
harvest almost equal Bihar, Rajasthan, MP)
proportions
50-75 cm annual rainfall, evenly distributed of sand and
through the growing season silt, and some
clay)
Millets Mainly Kharif crops (require temperature of 1. Jowar is 3rd most important 1. Jowar and 1. Jowar: Maharashtra, Karnataka,
(Jowar, 25-35 degrees) food crop wrt area and Bajra: Sandy/ AP, MP
Bajra, Ragi) production black soil
1. Jowar: Rainfed (60-70 cm rain required) 2. Bajra: Rajasthan, UP,
3. Ragi: Red/ Maharashtra, Gujarat, Haryana
2. Bajra and Ragi: can be grown in drier black/
regions, with rainfall of 35-50 cm (Ragi is laterite soil 3. Ragi: Karnataka, TN, HP,
especially well-suited to grow in drier regions) (Laterites ar Uttaranchal, Sikkim, Jharkhand
e soil types
rich in iron (The state whose name is
and mentioned first in each of the
aluminium, above 3 millets is the largest
formed in hot national producer of that
and wet particular millet)
tropical
areas. Nearly
all laterites a
re rusty-red
because of
iron oxides.
They develop
by intensive
and long-
lasting
weathering of
the
underlying
parent rock
)
Maize Mainly Kharif Food and fodder crop Old alluvial Karnataka, UP, Bihar, AP, MP

21-27 degree temp.

50-75 cm rainfall
Pulses Both Rabi and Kharif (mainly a warm climate India is the largest producer and Grown in MP, UP, Rajasthan, Karnataka,
crop, but recently people have started growing consumer of pulses in the world; variety of Maharashtra
 these during Rabi as well) however, still the demand soils, from
outstrips supply and lots of sandy loam to
Need less moisture, can grow in dry pulses have to be imported from heavy black
conditions abroad cotton soil

Being leguminous crops, pulses

help in restoring soil fertility by
fixing nitrogen from the air; so,
they are generally grown in
rotation with other crops
NON-GRAINS
Crop Season, temperature, rainfall etc. Factoid Soil Areas/ States % of cult.
area
Sugarcane Kharif crop: needs hot, humid climate, and India is second largest Alluvial/ Tropical as well as subtropical
high rainfall producer, after Brazil Black/ crop:
Laterite
21-27 degree temp. Sugarcane needs manual labour UP, Maharashtra, Karnataka, TN,
for all the processes involved in AP, Bihar, Punjab, Haryana
75-100 cm rainfall cultivation
Oilseeds Kharif (Groundnut) India is largest producer of Loamy Groundnut: AP, TN, Karnataka, 12%
(Groundnut oilseeds. (groundnut) Gujarat, Maharashtra
accounts for
of all Groundnut accounts for about
oilseeds) half of the total oilseed
production in the country.
Tea Warm, moist, but frost-free climate India is the leading producer and Mountain soil Assam, West Bengal, TN, Kerala
throughout the year; requires frequent exporter of tea
showers evenly distributed all through the Deep and
year The government recently fertile well-
introduced the Plant Protection drained soil,
Code, which contains guidelines rich in
to reduce chemical inputs in tea humus and
cultivation organic
matter
Coffee 15-25 degrees temperature India produces about 4% of the Nilgiri hills in Karnataka, Kerala
worlds coffee and Tamil Nadu
150-250 cm rainfall
Arabica variety is produced here
Horticulture India is the largest producer of 9%
crops fruits and vegetables
(produces about 13% of the
worlds vegetables)

Although these cover only 9% of

total cropped area, they provide
25% of value of total agri
produce!

Still, relative productivity

compared to other countries is
very low for horticultural
products in India
NON-FOOD CROPS
Crop Season, temperature, rainfall etc. Factoid Soil Areas/ States % of cult.
area
Rubber 25 degree+ Mainly an equatorial crop, but Mainly Kerala, Tamil Nadu, AP,
also grown in tropical and and Andamans
Moist and humid climate-200 cm + rainfall subtropical areas
required
Cotton Grows well in drier parts of the black soil of
deccan plateau
Requires high temperature, light rainfall (50
cm) or irrigation (REQUIRES HUMIDITY),
mostly frost-free days (210 in the year
minimum), and lots of sunshine
Jute High temperature required: 27+
High rainfall: 170-250 cm
India is 2nd largest producer, and Black soil Maharashtra, Gujarat, MP,
worlds largest exporter Karnataka, AP, TN, Punjab,
Haryana, UP
Almost 90% of the cotton
cultivation area is under Bt
Cotton. Bt cotton dramatically
changed the relationship between
farmer and seed. Before Bt, less
than 40% seeds used were
hybrids. Now its over 90%.
Making hybrid seeds is a
laborious, technical process and
costly, whereas varieties are a
result of generations of selective
breeding. They can be reused,
have lower yields, and are pretty
much given away for free by state
agriculture departments. Hybrids
have higher yields, cant be
reused and are costlier.
On the surface, anti GM activists
usually stress the toxicity and the
contaminative aspects of Bt
seeds to push for its ban, but it is
really this corporatisation of seed
that is at the heart of most
friction between activists and
crop companies who are now
pushing for Bt to be introduced in
other plants such as brinjal
Used to make gunny bags, mats, Alluvial soil West Bengal, Bihar, Assam,
ropes, carpets etc., but due to its (needs well- Orissa, Meghalaya
high cost, it is losing market to drained
 synthetic fibers such as nylons fertile soils in
flood plains,
that are
replaced
every year)

Temp--->
Cool Moderate Hot
Rainfall (down)
Dry (less than 50 cm p.a.) Rice Pulses Bajra, Ragi
Moderate (50-75) Wheat Maize, Cotton
Wet (75+) Coffee Sugarcane, Tea, Jowar Rubber, Jute
Cropping systems in any area are determined by:
Soil and climatic patterns
Productivity and monetary benefits for the farmers
Available infrastructure facilities, such as irrigation, transport, storage,
marketing, post-harvest handling and processing etc.
Socio-economic factors: size and type of land holdings, labour
availability etc.
Technological factors: Access to information, culture and history,
availability of mechanized tools and seeds etc.

India has a multiplicity of cropping systems because of:

High dependence on rain-fed agriculture (65% of all cultivated area; this
provides only 45% of total foodgrain produce!) means low productivity,
which necessitates intercropping to reduce risks associate with mono
cropping
Due to high poverty and very high pressure on land due to dependence on
a large fraction of the population on agriculture, agriculture remains to be
considered as a subsistence rather than a commercial activity. To fulfill
household needs, many farmers grow multiple crops

Due to these reasons, Indias cropping patterns remain dynamic in time and
space:
The major change in cropping pattern is a substantial area shift from
cereals to non-cereals; since 1966, about 5% of the Gross Cultivated Area
(GCA) has shifted from cereal to non-cereal crops. Major gainers of this
shift are oilseeds
This area loss can be almost entirely attributed to the declining area share
of coarse cereals, especially sorghum, bajra, barley etc.; rice and wheat
have maintained their shares
Area under other commercial crops has also increased, but the result isnt
as dramatic as that of oilseeds

Cropping systems of irrigated ecosystems:

Only 35% of all cultivated area in India is irrigated, but it provides about 55% of
all foodgrain production. Broadly, two distinct irrigated ecosystems emerge:
Indo-Gangetic Plain Region (Punjab, Haryana, UP, Bihar), and Coastal Areas of
Tamil Nadu and AP.

Principal crops having sizeable irrigated %ages are: Sugarcane, Wheat, Barley,
Mustard, Rice, Cotton etc. Among states, top 3 are Punjab, Haryana, and UP.

Issues in irrigated ecosystems:

Inefficient land use planning and resource deployment
Low water use efficiency (improper land leveling, growing crops not
suited to a region, indiscriminate use of ground water using high
energy consuming water pumps)
Land degradation (soil salinity etc. due to receding water tables, use of
ever higher quantities of fertilizers to sustain falling yield levels)
 Inefficient land use, diversion of agricultural land to industry
Top-down approach of agricultural innovation and R&D, while ignoring
farmer participation

DIFFERENT TYPES OF IRRIGATION AND IRRIGATION SYSTEMS

Irrigation simply means watering the agricultural fields by any means other than
rain. Irrigation in India means supply of water to the fields from rivers, tanks,
wells, canals etc. Irrigation reduces dependence on monsoons, helps control
floods and droughts, brings more area under cultivation, reduces instability in
production etc.

Only about 35% of all cultivated land in India has access to any kind of irrigation;
rest is rain-fed. Productivity is much higher on irrigated land, as can be seen by
its high share of 55% in all foodgrains produced in India.

The type of irrigation system used in a particular area depends on: natural
conditions (soil, topography), type of crops being grown, technology, required
labour and other inputs, costs and benefits etc.

Irrigation systems can be divided in multiple ways:

1. Flow v/s lift systems (depending on the height of water table v/s the land
to be irrigated)

2. Capacity of irrigation: major, medium, and minor irrigation projects

3. Source: Most important classification is by source- Canals (40% of total

area under irrigation is served by canals), Wells (40%), Tanks (12%),
Misc. (8%)

i. Canal irrigation: About half of all canal irrigated area lies in Punjab,
Haryana, UP, and AP, where its easy to dig canals since the land is level
and soft. Canals can be perennial or inundation based, with the latter
being effective inly during floods. Canals, though expensive to
construct, can serve an area for many years, meaning that the total
lifetime cost is low. They also bring lots of sediments with them, and
thus help replenish soil productivity

However, excessive flow of water in the fields raises the ground water
level. Capillary action brings alkaline salts to the surface and makes
large areas unfit for agriculture. Vast areas in Punjab, Haryana and
Uttar Pradesh suffer from the problem of reh caused by canal
irrigation. About 36,000 hectares have been rendered useless in Nira
Valley of Maharashtra due to high concentration of salts in the soil
resulting from canal irrigation. Also, many canals overflow during rainy
season and cause flooding
 ii. Well irrigation: A well is a hole dug in the ground to obtain subsoil
water. Wells are of two types: open wells (5m depth) and tube wells
(15+ meters depth). Wells are easy to dig in areas with soft and porous
soil, as it allows rainwater to seep in and create a high water table.
Thus, wells are commonly used in Great Northern Plains, the deltaic
regions, and weathered layers of the deccan trap. Well irrigation is
popular in UP, Bihar, and black cotton soil area of the Deccan. Open
wells are cheap and easy to construct, and hence widely used. Since
tubewells usually require use of power pumps, well irrigation is
expensive, and utilized for crops that give high returns, such as
horticultural crops

iii. Tank irrigation: Farmers of groups of farmers build small reservoirs

by raising bunds across seasonal streams. This is usually used in areas
where soil is hard and stony, and land unsuitable to cut canals.
Widespread in peninsular part of India. About 4% of all irrigated land
is served by tanks. While tanks do not require huge investments and
costs, and allow for subsidiary activities such as fishing, many of them
dry up during the dry season, and suffer from regular silting,
evaporation of large quantities of water etc.

iv. Misc.: Ditch irrigation, Terrace irrigation, Drip irrigation (most

efficient method; water drops right near the root zone of the plant in a
dripping motion, so loss of water to evaporation and runoff is minimal;
also known as micro-irrigation and localized irrigation), Sprinkler
system (suitable for irrigating crops where the plant population per
unit area is very high, such as oilseeds and other cereal and vegetable
crops, and is suitable for all types of soil except heavy clay), Rotary
Systems (best suited for large areas; means mechanically driven
sprinklers moving in a circular motion and hence reaching great
distances; waters a large area with small amounts of water over a
longer period of time), Center Pivot Irrigation (a form of overhead
irrigation, again using sprinklers)
The government provides varying levels of monetary support for
farmers who want to implement the above mentioned kinds of
micro-irrigation techniques via the National Mission on Micro
Irrigation

E-TECHNOLOGY TO THE AID OF FARMERS

After witnessing green, white, blue yellow, and biotechnology revolutions, Indian
agriculture now needs to undergo the ICT revolution.

ICTs most important role in agriculture comes from communication

facilitation. IT helps farmers have better access to real-time information, which
helps improve productivity. Central, state governments and private
organisations have taken ICT measures for agriculture extension which include
ITC- e-choupal, Kisan Kerala, Aaqua, Rice knowledge management portal, e-
krishi etc.

ICT offerings for the farm sector can be classified into 3 categories: aimed at
empowerment (eg: e-chaupal, which gives farmers timely information about
weather, market prices etc.; Kisan Call Centres), aimed at enablement (e-
maintenance of land records, AADHAR cards etc.), and aimed at market
expansion (facilitation of setting up of agro-enterprises).

Apart from communication, technology can also be used at various points in the
farming value chain:
Irrigate via smartphone
GPS mapping to assess how much fertilizer to use where
Webcam use to monitor crops, and seek remote expert advice
Precision Agriculture or satellite farming (also known as site-specific
crop management (SSCM) is based on responding to inter and intra-field
variability in crops. It reduces use of fertilizer and pesticides, prevents
soil degradation, promotes optimal use of water, and raises productivity,
by innovatively using GPS and GNSS technologies

Thus, use of ICT in agriculture aids improved decision-making, better planning,

greater community involvement, spreading knowledge of agricultural
breakthroughs etc.

There are several central and state government plans to use ICT for agricultural
development:

E-agriculture is a mission-mode project under the NeGP (National e-

Governance Plan). This is being operationalized by the Department of
Agriculture and Cooperation (DAC), and aims to provide information on
seeds, fertilizers, government schemes, soil recommendations, crop
management, and marketing of produce
National Policy for Farmers (2007) and National Mission on
Agricultural Extension and Technology identify use of ICT as a strong
factor in agricultural development
Kisan Credit Card scheme is being used to provide affordable credit to
farmers. It allows easy credit facilities, flexible repayment schedules, and
extensions up to four years
Kisan Call Centre, Kisan SMS Portal, and Village Knowledge Centres
are operational in various places across the country

Going forward, the extent of crop losses can be determined by using satellite
imagery; each farm can be captured on a pixel, and linked to the farmers bank
accounts and UID numbers. If there is a hailstorm, say, tonight, then the
compensation money can be transferred to the farmers account with 24-48
hours.