Farming types, cropping seasons, major crops, reforms, globalisation and food security
"Slash and burn" farming on small patches with primitive tools (hoe, dao) and family labour. Depends on monsoon & natural fertility. Known as jhumming in NE India.
Practised in areas of high population pressure. Labour-intensive with high inputs and irrigation on small holdings. High output per unit area.
Uses modern inputs — HYV seeds, fertilisers, pesticides. Crops grown for sale in the market. Commercialisation varies by region.
A type of commercial farming — single crop grown on a large area (tea, coffee, rubber, sugarcane). Capital-intensive, needs migrant labour, linked to industry.
| Season | Sown / Harvested | Major Crops | Regions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rabi (winter) | Sown Oct–Dec, harvested Apr–Jun | Wheat, barley, peas, gram, mustard | Punjab, Haryana, HP, J&K, UP, Uttarakhand |
| Kharif (monsoon) | Sown Jun–Jul, harvested Sep–Oct | Rice, maize, jowar, bajra, tur, cotton, jute, groundnut, soyabean | Assam, WB, coastal areas, UP, Bihar |
| Zaid (summer) | Short season between Rabi & Kharif | Watermelon, muskmelon, cucumber, vegetables, fodder | Across northern plains |
Winter western disturbances (temperate cyclones) bring precipitation that helps the success of rabi crops in north-west India.
Grown with the onset of the south-west monsoon. Rice-growing regions may raise three crops (Aus, Aman, Boro) in a year.
Zaid is a short summer season. Sugarcane, however, takes almost a year to grow.
| Crop | Conditions | Leading Areas |
|---|---|---|
| Rice (kharif) | High temp (>25°C), high humidity, rainfall >100 cm | N & NE plains, coastal & deltaic regions |
| Wheat (rabi) | Cool growing season, bright sunshine at ripening, 50–75 cm rain | Ganga-Satluj plains (NW), Deccan black soil |
| Millets (jowar, bajra, ragi) | Coarse grains, less water; ragi rich in iron & calcium | Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan, TN |
| Sugarcane | Hot & humid, 21–27°C, 75–100 cm rain | UP, Maharashtra, Karnataka, TN |
| Cotton (kharif) | Black soil, high temp, light rain, 210 frost-free days | Maharashtra, Gujarat, MP, Punjab |
| Jute | Well-drained fertile flood-plain soil, high temp | West Bengal, Bihar, Assam, Odisha |
Staple food of a majority of Indians. India is the second-largest producer after China.
India is the largest producer & consumer of pulses. Being leguminous, they help restore soil fertility by fixing nitrogen.
Plantation crops. Tea grown in Assam, WB (Darjeeling), TN, Kerala. Arabica coffee first from Yemen, grown in Nilgiri hills.
Used to make gunny bags, mats, ropes, carpets. Facing competition from synthetic substitutes.
Abolition of zamindari, collectivisation, consolidation of holdings and "land to the tiller" to bring institutional change.
HYV seeds, irrigation, chemical fertilisers and machinery raised food-grain output — making India self-sufficient in food.
Boosted milk production through cooperatives — made India the world's largest milk producer.
Kissan Credit Card (KCC), Personal Accident Insurance Scheme (PAIS), crop insurance, MSP, grameen banks and cooperatives.
Provides affordable credit to farmers so they can buy seeds, fertilisers and equipment without falling into debt traps.
Weather bulletins and agricultural programmes on radio & TV help farmers plan and adopt better practices.
Government announces MSP and procures crops to protect farmers from a sharp fall in prices.
Indian spices, muslin and fine cotton textiles were exported to many countries, earning worldwide fame.
Under the British, cotton and indigo were exported as raw material, ruining Indian farmers and cottage industries.
Gandhiji led farmers of Champaran (Bihar) against forced indigo cultivation by British planters.
Indian farmers face competition from highly subsidised farm products of developed nations, squeezing profits.
Supports ~2/3 of the population, provides raw materials to industry and employment to millions.
Vinoba Bhave's "blood-less revolution" — landlords voluntarily donated land to the landless. Began at Pochampalli.
Reduces chemical use, protects soil and health, and opens markets for chemical-free produce.
Over-use of water and chemicals degrades land. Crop rotation, conservation and balanced inputs are needed.