Irrigation & Agriculture
Cropping Seasons in India
Kharif Crops of India
- Sown in summers between May and July, and harvested after the rains, in September and October.
- Eg: Rice, Jowar, Bajra, Maize, Cotton, Jute, Sugarcane, Tobacco, Groundnut, Pulses, etc.
Rabi Crops of India
- Sown at the beginning of winter and harvested before the onset of the summer season, between Feb and April.
- Eg: Wheat, barley, oilseeds, gram, potatoes, etc.
Zayad Crops
- They are raised between April and June.
- E.g. : Melon, watermelon, cucumber, toris, leafy and other vegetables.
Cash Crops of India (Commercial Crops)
- Grown mainly for the market, only a small portion of the product is consumed by the farmers themselves (cotton, sugarcane etc.)
Important Crops of India
Food Grains
| Rice | In West Bengal, Punjab, UP |
| Wheat | In UP, Punjab, Haryana |
| Maize | In Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka |
| Bajra | In Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra |
| Jowar | In Maharashtra, Karnataka, MP, AP |
| Total Pulses | In UP, MP, Punjab |
| Total Food Grains | In UP, Punjab, West Bengal |
Oilseeds
| Groundnut | In Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh |
| Rapeseed & Mustard | In Rajasthan, UP, Haryana |
| Soyabean | In Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan |
| Sunflower | In Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra |
| Total Oil Seeds | In MP, Maharashtra, Rajasthan |
Cash Crops
| Sugarcane | In UP, Maharashtra, Karnataka |
| Cotton | In Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh |
| Jute & Mesta | In WB, Bihar, Asom |
| Tea | In Asom, West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh |
| Coffee | In Kamalaka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu |
| Rubber | In Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka |
| Silk | In Karnataka, Jammu and Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh. In India all 4 varieties of silk are available: Mulberry, tussar, eri and muga. Mulberry is the main variety, while tussar is mainly found in Bihar. |
| Tobacco | In Gujaral, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka |
Jhum
- Shifting type of cultivation practiced in the hill slopes of Asom, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Nagaland.
- In this, the trees are felled and set on fire. The ash of the burnt trees and the other vegetation adds to the fertility of soil. This land is used for 2-3 years till the soil gets exhausted and the jhum is abandoned. The cultivators then move onto the other patch of forest land.
- Known by different names : Ladang (Malaysia), Chengin (Philippines), Milpa (Mexico), Konuko (Venezuela), Masole (Zaire basin), Chena (Sri Lanka).
