Different crops and their primary producers
Dear Friends,
In this article we will be covering a very important topic
from the Current Affairs part of the General Knowledge section. Around 1 to 2
questions from this topic are asked from this topic in every exam. Thus, the
post is very important for the upcoming SSC Exam and other competitive Exam
.
This is very useful for the General Knowledge / General
Awareness section of LIC AAO, SSC CGL, Banking and all other various
competitive exams. There are a lot of questions which are asked related to
this Article.
Agriculture plays big role in the Indian economy. It is the
backbone of India. It includes farming of crops, pisciculture (Fish
farming), animal husbandry, agro-forestry etc. Over 58% of rural
households primarily depend on agriculture. Agriculture along with fisheries,
forestry and other allied sectors contribute around 14% to the overall GDP of
our country. The soil conditions and particular weather allow for crops in
India uniquely suited to it.
Crop Seasons in India
India is the top producer of many
crops in the world. There can be many ways to divide the types of crops (season,
based on area, economic value etc.).
Based on seasons, the crops in India are divided into three types; Rabi, Zaid
and Kharif
.
Rabi
Crops
- It is Sown in October-November
- It is harvested in April-May.
- It requires warm climate for germination of seeds for maturation and cold climate for the growth.
- Examples are Wheat, Oat, Gram, Pea, Barley, Potato, Tomato, Onion, Oil seeds (like Rapeseed, Sunflower, Sesame, Mustard) etc.
Kharif
Crops
- It is sown in June-July when rains first begin (Monsoon crop).
- It is harvested in September-October.
- It requires lot of water and hot weather to grow.
- Examples are Rice, Jowar, Bajra, Maize, Cotton, Groundnut, Jute, Sugarcane, Turmeric, Pulses (like Urad Dal) etc.
Zaid
Crops
- Grown between March-June between Rabi and Kharif crop seasons.
- Early maturing crops.
- Examples are Cucumber, Bitter Gourd, Pumpkin, Watermelon, Muskmelon, Moong Dal etc.
Categories of Crops in India
The major crops can be divided into
four main categories depending on their usage.
- Food Crops (Wheat, Maize, Rice, Millets and Pulses etc.)
- Horticulture crops (Fruits and Vegetables)
- Plantation Crops (Coffee, Coconut, Tea, and Rubber etc.)
- Cash Crops (Sugarcane, Tobacco, Cotton, Jute and Oilseeds etc.)
Major Crops in India
Now let’s look at the major crops in India in detail.
Wheat
It is the 2nd most important food crop in India. It is a Rabi crop. India stands second in production of wheat worldwide. It is more flexible in terms of climactic and other conditions of growth.Type of Crop: Rabi
Varieties: Kalyan Sona, Sonalika, Heera
Temperature: 17-20 °C
Rainfall: 20-100 cm (ideal ~75 cm)
Soil Type: Clay loam, Sandy loam
Research Centres: Karnal, Haryana
Highest Producing Country: China
Rice
Rice is a tropical crop that can be
grown almost throughout the year. It depends on atmospheric moisture and
rainfall for irrigation. India is the 2nd largest producer of
rice in the world. India has largest area in world under rice
cultivation. Productivity is low compared to wheat because Green Revolution
primarily boosted wheat production in India. The traditional rice fields are
known as paddy fields and require to be flooded with 10-12 cm deep water in the
early stages.
Type of Crop: Kharif, RabiTechniques Used: Transplantation technique, Japanese Transplantation technique, new SRI technique
Varieties: Aman, Sali, Afghani, Aus, Boro, Palua
Temperature: ∼ 24 0C
Rainfall: ∼ 150 cm
Soil type: Clay/ Loamy
Research Centres: Cuttack, Odisha
Highest Producing Country: China
Jute
Jute is a tropical plant that requires hot and humid climate. It is one of the most important natural fibers in terms of cultivation and usage. Almost 85% of the world’s jute is cultivated in the Ganges Delta.Type of Crop: Zaid
Varieties: White Jute, Tossa Jute
Temperature: 24-35 °C.
Annual Rainfall: 125-200 cm.
Soil Type: Sandy and Clay Loam
Research Centres: Kolkata & Nilgunj, West Bengal
Highest Producing Country: India (but highest exporter is Bangladesh)
Cotton
Cotton is a tropical and subtropical Kharif crop. It is a fiber crop and is known as ‘White gold’. India ranks 3rd in the production of cotton worldwide. It is a dry crop but roots need timely supply of water at maturity.Type of Crop: Kharif
Varieties: Long Staple, Medium Staple, Short Staple
Temperature: 21-30 °C
Rainfall: 50-100 cm
Soil Type: Black soil (Highly water retentive soil)
Research Centres: Nagpur, Maharashtra
Highest Producing Country: China
Sugarcane
Sugarcane is an important cash crop. India stands at 2nd position among all countries in the world in its production. Sugarcane crop requires long rainy season of at least 7-8 months. Traditional Sugarcane Production was in North India but it has also shifted to South India. North India Sugarcane is of sub-tropical variety and so have low sugar content. Also sugar factories have to remain shut in winter seasons in North India. South India- Tropical Variety and coastal areas hence have high sugar content and high yield.Type of Crop: Kharif, Rabi
Temperature: 20-26 °C
Rainfall: 75-150 cm
Soil type: Clayey Loamy Soil/ Black Cotton Soil/ Red Loamy Soil/ Brown Loamy Soil
Research Centre: Luckhnow
Highest Producing Country: Brazil
Coffee
Coffees are grown in shade and commonly with two tiers of shade. Growing altitudes of coffee range between 1,000 to 1,500 m above sea level for Arabica (premier coffee), and 500 to 1,000 m for Robusta (lower quality). Both varieties are planted in well-drained soil conditions that favour rich organic matter. Coffee plantation is done along hilly slope. Slopes of Arabica tend to be gentle to moderate, while Robusta slopes are gentle to fairly level.Varieties: Arabica and Robusta
Temperature: 16-28°C
Rainfall: 150-250 cm
Soil type: Well-drained forest loam
Highest Producing Country: Brazil
Tea
Tea is an evergreen plant that mainly grows in tropical and subtropical climates. Tea is a labor intensive crop and 50% of the laborers are women. It grows faster under light shade. Commercial cultivation of tea started in India from British era. India is the 2nd largest producer and the largest consumer of tea in the world. Tea plants require high rainfall but its roots cannot tolerate water logging. Hence, it requires sloppy areas.Temperature: 20-30 °C
Rainfall: 150-300 cm
Soil type: Loamy soil which is acidic in nature and rich in organic matter.
Research Centres: Tocklai, Assam
Highest Producing Country: China
Spices
India has been known for its spices since ancient times.Cardamom (Queen of Aromatic Spices) – Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu
Pepper (King of Spices) – Kerala
Chilies – Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan
Turmeric – Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu
Nutmeg – Kerala
Areca nut – Kerala, Karnataka, Tripura, Assam
Coconut – Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh
Cinnamon – Kerala
Clove – Kerala
Ginger – Kerala, Meghalaya, Sikkim
Temperature: 10-30 °C
Rainfall: 200-300 cm
Soil type: Loamy soil/ Lateritic soil
Location: 1000-2000m altitude of Western Ghats and other hilly areas
Major Producer in India…
|
Crops
Name
|
No 1
Producer
|
No 2
Producer
|
No 3
Producer
|
|
Mesta
|
Andhra Pradesh
|
Odisha
|
|
|
Tea
|
Assam
|
West Bengal
|
|
|
Bajra
|
Gujarat
|
Rajasthan
|
|
|
Castor seed
|
Gujarat
|
Andhra Pradesh
|
|
|
Cotton
|
Gujarat
|
Maharashtra
|
Andhra Pradesh
|
|
Groundnut
|
Gujarat
|
Andhra Pradesh
|
Tamil Nadu
|
|
Onion
|
Gujarat
|
Maharashtra
|
Karnataka
|
|
Cardamom
|
Karnataka
|
Kerala
|
|
|
Coffee
|
Karnataka
|
Kerala
|
|
|
Maize
|
Karnataka
|
Andhra Pradesh
|
Uttar Pradesh
|
|
Ragi
|
Karnataka
|
Tamil Nadu
|
|
|
Sunflower
|
Karnataka
|
Andhra Pradesh
|
Maharashtra
|
|
Ginger (dry)
|
Kerala
|
Himachal Pradesh
|
|
|
Tapioca
|
Kerala
|
Tamil Nadu
|
|
|
Linseed
|
Madhya Pradesh
|
Uttar Pradesh
|
|
|
Millets (small)
|
Madhya Pradesh
|
Andhra Pradesh
|
|
|
Pulses
|
Madhya Pradesh
|
Uttar Pradesh
|
Maharashtra
|
|
Soyabean
|
Madhya Pradesh
|
Maharashtra
|
Rajasthan
|
|
Jowar
|
Maharashtra
|
Karnataka
|
|
|
Safflower
|
Maharashtra
|
Karnataka
|
|
|
Tobacco
|
Mahatrashtra
|
Tamil Nadu
|
|
|
Coriander
|
Rajasthan
|
Andhra Pradesh
|
|
|
Gram
|
Rajasthan
|
Uttar Pradesh
|
|
|
Rape-seed & Mustard
|
Rajasthan
|
UP
|
Haryana
|
|
Chillies (dry)
|
Tamil Nadu
|
Andhra Pradesh
|
|
|
Sannhemp
|
UP
|
Madhya Pradesh
|
|
|
Sugarcane
|
UP
|
Tamil Nadu
|
Maharashtra
|
|
Barley
|
Uttar Pradesh
|
Rajasthan
|
|
|
Potato
|
Uttar Pradesh
|
West Bengal
|
Bihar
|
|
Sesamum
|
Uttar Pradesh
|
Rajasthan
|
|
|
Tur
|
Uttar Pradesh
|
Madhya Pradesh
|
|
|
Wheat
|
Uttar Pradesh
|
Punjab
|
Haryana
|
|
Jute
|
West Bengal
|
Bihar
|
Assam
|
|
Paddy
|
West Bengal
|
Tamil Nadu
|
|
|
Rice
|
West Bengal
|
UP
|
Punjab
|
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