Introduction

Types of Crops

The crops are of the following types depending upon the season in which they

are grown:

A. Kharif

B. Rabi

Kharif Crops

• The crops which are grown in the monsoon season in the month of June-September

are known as Kharif crops. For eg., maize, millet, and cotton.

• The seeds are sown at the beginning of monsoon season and harvested at the end of

the monsoon season, usually in the month of October-November.

• Such crops require a lot of water and hot weather for proper growth.

Rabi Crops

The name “Rabi” means “spring” – a word derived from Arabic.

The crops that are grown in the winter season and harvested in the spring, i.e., from

the month of October to March are called Rabi crops.

Wheat, gram, and mustard are some of the Rabi crops.

Various agricultural practices are carried out to produce new crop varieties.

Such crops require a warm climate for the germination and maturation of seeds.

They, however, require a cold climate for their growth.

Cash Crops

A cash crop is the one that is cultivated to be sold in the market to earn profits from

the sale.

Most of the crops grown today worldwide are cash crops cultivated for selling in the

national and international markets.

Examples - Coffee, cocoa, tea, sugarcane, cotton, and spices

Tobacco

India is the 2nd largest producer and exporter after China and Brazil respectively.

Leading Tobacco Producing States –

Gujarat

Andhra Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh

Karnataka

West Bengal

Tobacco is a cash crop, a cash crop is the one that is cultivated to be sold in the market

to earn profits from the sale.

Tobacco is a tropical crop in origin but it is grown in subtropical and temperate regions

of the world.

Normally, it requires about 100 to 120 days, frost-free climate with an average

temperature of 20 °C to 30 °C between transplanting and harvesting

Gram

Gram is a Rabi Crop.

Rabi crops are known as winter crops. They are grown in the month of

October or November. The crops are then harvested in spring. These crops

require frequent irrigation because these are grown in dry areas

Soil - For cultivation of gram, loam or heavy loam, maar and

pandua soil in which proper arrangement for water drainage is

available are suitable.

Leading Gram Producing States –

Madhya Pradesh

Maharashtra

Rajasthan

Karnataka

Varities of Grams In India

1. Green Gram Beans, Spilt Green Gram and split and skinned

green gram (Mung or Moong)

2. Black Eyed Beans (Chawli or Lobia)

Pulses

Pulses: India is the largest consumer and producer of pulses in the

world. Pulses can survive even in dry conditions. These are

leguminous crops and help in improving soil fertility by fixing

atmospheric nitrogen.

Pulses – Rabi Crops

Leading Pulses Producing States –

Madhya Pradesh

Rajasthan

Maharashtra

Uttar Pradesh

Karnataka

Rice

Rice is Kharif Crop.

Kharif crops are the crops that are grown at the end of monsoon or at

the beginning of the winter season.

Geographical Indications

Wayanad Jeerakasala Rice, Wayanad Gandhakasala Rice, Kaipad Rice,

Navara Rice, Palakkadan Matta Rice, Pokkali Rice(Kerala)

Kalanamak Rice (Uttar Pradesh)

Joha Rice of Assam

Ajara Ghansal Rice, Ambemohar Rice (Maharashtra)

Tulaipanji Rice, Gobindabhog Rice (West Bengal)

Chak-Hao (Black Rice) (Manipur)

Katarni Rice (Bihar)

Leading Rice Producing States

West Bengal

Punjab

Uttar Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Sugarcane

Cash crop – sugarcane

Sugarcane, which is the primary source of sugar, khandsari and gur in India,

belongs to the bamboo family and is indigenously grown in the country

It needs hot and humid climate with average temperature between 21° to

27°Cand rainfall varying from 75 to 150 cm.

Soils - Sugarcane can grow is a variety of soils including black cotton soils,

loams, brown or reddish loams, clayey loams and even laterites. It can, in fact,

tolerate any kind of soil that retains moisture. However, deep rich loamy soil is

ideal for it to thrive and grow.

Major Sugarcane Producing States

Uttar Pradesh

Maharashtra

Karnataka

Tamil Nadu

Jowar (Sorghum)

It is Kharif Crop

Sorghum plants are very hardy and can withstand high temperature and

drought.

It may be successfully grown under atmospheric temperature ranging

between 15 0C to 40 0C and annual rainfall ranging from 400 to 1000 mm.

Sorghum is grown on a variety of soil types

but the clayey loam soil rich in humus is

found to be the most ideal soil.

Major Jowar Producing States

Maharashtra

Karnataka

Madhya Pradesh

Tamil Nadu

Geographical Indications - Mangalwedha Jowar (Maharashtra)

Tur (Arhar)

Tur – Rabi Crop

Pigeon pea is predominantly a crop of tropical areas mainly cultivated in semi arid

regions of India.

Pigeonpea can be grown with a temperature ranging from 260C to 300C in the rainy

season (June to October) and 170C to 220C in the post rainy (November to March) season

It is successfully grown in black cotton soils, well drained with a p H ranging from 7.0 -

8.5

Major Tur Producing States

Maharashtra

Madhya Pradesh

Karnataka

Gujarat

Geographical Indications - Navapur Tur Dal (Maharashtra), Gulbarga Tur

Dal(Karnataka)

Cotton

It is a Kharif Crop and cash crop of India

Cotton, a semi-xerophyte, is grown in tropical & sub tropical conditions. A

minimum temperature of 15 degree C is required for better germination at

field conditions

Cotton is grown on a variety of soils ranging from well drained deep alluvial

soils in the north to black clayey soils of varying depth in central region and in

black and mixed black and red soils in south zone.

Cotton is semi-tolerant to salinity and sensitive to water logging and thus

prefers well drained soils.

Major Cotton Producing States

Gujarat

Maharashtra

Telangana

Andhra Pradesh

Rapeseed/Toria and mustard are the third most important edible oilseed

crops of the world after soybean and oil palm.

Require cool and dry weather and a fair supply of soil moisture during the

growing period and a dry clear weather at the time of maturity.

Rapeseed and Mustard

In India they are grown in Rabi season from September-October to

February-March.

Soil - Sandy loam to clay loam soils but thrive best on light loam soils.

Do not tolerate water logging conditions or heavy soils Soil having neutral

pH is ideal for their proper growth and development.

Major Rapeseed and Mustard

Producing States

Rajasthan

Haryana

Madhya Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh

Wheat

It is the most important cereal crop in the north and north-western parts of

the country.

It is a rabi crop that requires 50-75 cm of annual rainfall.

Soil - Wheat is grown in a variety of soils of India.

Soils with a clay loam or loam texture, good structure and moderate water

holding capacity are ideal for wheat cultivation.

Major Wheat Producing States

Uttar Pradesh

Punjab

Madhya Pradesh

Haryana

Rajasthan

Geographical Indication - Bhalia Wheat (Gujarat)

Sunflower

Safflower is a cool (rabi) season crop. The optimum temperature for

germination is about 15.5oC.

Safflower requires fairly deep, moisture retentive and well drained soils.

The crop is fairly tolerant to saline condition and grows well under residual

moisture in paddy fallows.

Major Sunflower Producing States

Karnataka

Bihar

Odisha

Tamil Nadu

Lentil (Masur)

In India, its mostly consumed as ‘Dal’ by removal of outer skin and

separation of cotyledons. It is a Rabi Crop

Lentil requires cold climate. It is very hardy and can tolerate frost and

severe winter to a great extent.

It require cold temperature during its vegetative growth and warm temperature at the

time of maturity. The optimum temperature for growth is 18-300 C

Well drained, loam soils with neutral reaction are best for lentil cultivation. Acidic soils

are not fit for growing lentil..

Recommended sowing time for Rainfed : First fortnight of October in Central and South

India and second fortnight of October in North India;

Major Masur Producing States

Madhya Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh

West Bengal

Bihar

Jharkhand

Groundnut

Major Groundnut Producing States

Gujarat

Rajasthan

Andhra Pradesh

Tamil Nadu

Bajra

Agro climatic requirement for bajra cultivation: Bajra grows well in dry and

warm climatic conditions and its drought tolerant crop which requires low

annual rainfall ranging between 40 cm to 60 cm.

Ideal temperature for bajra cultivation is between

20ᵒ to 30ᵒc

Moist weather is advantageous during its vegetative growth. In North India,

bajra is grown as kharif crop and in some southern parts is grown as summer

crop providing irrigation.

Soil - Bajra can be grown in wide range of soil. However, it thrives best in

black cotton soils, sandy laom soils having well drainage.

Major Bajra Producing States

Rajasthan

Gujarat

Madhya Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh

Soyabean

Soyabean is considered one of the most stable kharif crops of India.

The temperature ranging from 26.5 to 30°C is considered favorable for most of

the soyabean varieties

Best season to grow soybean: – Best season to plant soybean from 3rd week of June of

mid of July.

Soil - Soybean requires well drained and fertile loamy soils with a ph range between 6.0

and 7.5 are most favorable for its cultivation.

Major Soyabean Producing States

Madhya Pradesh

Maharashtra

Rajasthan

Coconut

Climatic condition for coconut farming: – The coconut palm is found to grow under

varying climatic conditions.

It is essentially a tropical plant.

However, a rainfall of about 2000 mm per year, well distributed throughout, is ideal

for proper growth and maximum production.

Coconut is grown under different soil types such as loamy, late rite, coastal

sandy, alluvial, clayey and reclaimed soils of the marshy low lands.

Major Coconut Producing States

Kerala

Karnataka

Tamil Nadu

Andhra Pradesh

Geographical Indication - Eathomozhy Tall Coconut (Tamil Nadu)

Cashewnut

Soil and climate

It grows up well in all soils. Red sandy loam is best suited. Plains as well as hill slopes

upto 600 - 700 feet elevation are suitable.

Season

June – December is optimum for cultivation.

Major Cashewnut Producing States

A. Maharashtra

B. Andhra Pradesh

C. Odisha

D. Karnataka

Geographical Indication - Vengurla Cashew (Maharashtra)

Cumin

Major Cumin Producing States

Gujarat

Rajasthan

Madhya Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh

Turmeric

Soil and climate

A friable well drained red loamy soil in wet or garden lands under tropical

conditions is ideal.

It can be grown in regions receiving an annual rainfall of 1500 m

Major Turmeric Producing States

Telangana

Maharashtra

Tamil Nadu

Gujarat

Geographical Indications - Waigaon Turmeric (Maharashtra), Erode Turmeric

(Tamil Nadu), Kandhamal Haldi’, Sangli turmeric

Coriander

Major Coriander Producing States

Madhya Pradesh

Rajasthan

Gujarat

Assam

Tea

Agro climatic conditions for Tea farming: – Tea plantation requires a moderately humid

and hot and climatic condition. Tea plantation thrives well in humid a hot weather

condition.

Time of Tea planting: – Planting can be done in April-June and September-October or

October-November with adequate irrigation. Periods of heavy rains should be avoided.

Soils - Tea plantation thrives well in deep, well drained, friable loamy soils.

Virgin forest soils that are rich in humus and iron are the best suited soils for tea

plantations and large proportion of potash and phosphorus in the main soil gives

special flavor to tea as is the case in Darjeeling

Major Tea Producing States

Assam

West Bengal

Tamil Nadu

Kerala

Tripura

Geographical Indications

Darjeeling Black Tea (West Bengal)

Kangra Tea (Himachal Pradesh)

Green tea and White tea of Darjeeling

Coffee

Soil and climate

Soil should be deep, friable, open textured rich in plant nutrients with plenty of

humus and of slightly acidic nature (pH – 4.5 to 6.5)

Season

Planting spreads from June - December

India’s coffee growing regions have diverse climatic conditions, which are well suited for

cultivation of different varieties of coffee.

Some regions with high elevations are ideally suited for growing Arabicas of mild quality

while those with warm humid conditions are best suited for Robusta.

Major Coffee Producing States

Karnataka

Kerala

Tamil Nadu

Andhra Pradesh

Geographical Indications (Karnataka)

1. Monsooned Malabar Arabica Coffee

2. Monsooned Malabar Robusta Coffee

3. Coorg arabica coffee

4. Wayanad Robusta coffee

5. Chikmagalur Arabica coffee

6. Araku valley Arabica coffee

7. Bababudangiri arabica coffee

Chillies

Geographical Indication

A. Khola chilli (Goa)

B. Bydagi Chilli (Karnataka)

C. Guntur Sannam Chilli (Andhra Pradesh)

D. Mizo Chilli ( Mizoram)

E. Bhiwapur Chilli ( Maharashtra)

The chili is a plant of tropical and sub tropical region it grows well in warm and humid

climate and a temperature of 20-25ᵒC.

Chili can be grown in a range of soils, but black soils which retain moisture for long

periods are suitable for rain fed crop whereas well drained soils, deltaic soils and

sandy loams are good under irrigated condition.

Major Chilli Producing States

Telangana

Karnataka

Madhya Pradesh

Odisha

Garlic

Climatic requirements for garlic faming :– Garlic grows favorably in areas

with Type I climate, which is characterized by a wet season that usually

occurs from May to October and a dry season from November to April.

Garlic does not grow well in areas with excessive rainfall.

Major Garlic Producing States

Rajasthan

Uttar Pradesh

Gujarat

Punjab

Pepper

Soil and climate - Pepper is grown mainly as a rainfed crop. Pepper requires

heavy rainfall (150 - 250 cm) high humidity and warm climate.

Thrives best on virgin soils rich in humus content and the crop can be grown

at elevations up to 1500 m.

Season - June – December

Major Pepper Producing States

Kerala

Karnataka

Assam

Tamil Nadu

Cardamom

Climate and soil

The crop thrives well in regions which receive a well-distributed annual rainfall of 1500-

2500 mm with a mean temperature of 15°C to 35°C and 600-1200 m above MSL.

Cardamom grows luxuriantly in forest loam soils, which are generally acidic in nature

with a pH range of 5.5-6.5.

Growth of cardamom is enhanced, when planted in humus rich soils with low to medium

available phosphorous and medium to high available potassium.

Major Cardamom Producing States

Kerala

Sikkim

Karnataka

Nagaland

Geographical Indications –

1. Alleppey Green Cardamom (Kerala)

2. Coorg Green Cardamom (Karnataka)

3. Sikkim Large Cardamom (Sikkim)