Useful information on the Distribution of Agriculture Crops in India

1. Wheat

Wheat is the principal bread cereal of temperate regions. It is most valuable of all the cereals. Its high gluten content, superior quality grain and ease of storage make wheat important food stuff. Wheat cultivation is done throughout the world.

The origin of wheat is lost in antiquity. It is believed, that it originated in Asia Minor and the Middle East. From here its cultivation was gradually spread to various other countries.

Cultivation of wheat depends upon the following geographical and economic factors.

Wheat can be grown in a wide range of climatic and soil conditions than any other crop. Wheat cultivation requires:

(a) a moderate rainfall of about 35-45 cms. An excess of moisture is harmful for the growth of the crop.

(b) a tcmperauire of at least 10-15° C at the time of growing and 19°C and a bright sunshine at the time of ripening and harvest of the crop.

(c) A long growing season, approximately 100 days free from frost.

(D) A wide variety of soils ranging from heavy clay, clay loam or alluvial to black earths.

(e) Level and gently rolling topography provides adequate drainage and facilitates use of modern farm technology.

(f) The use of machines, manures and fertilizers, high yielding variety seeds, pesticides, assured means of irrigation, development of means of transportation, crop rotation, dry farming methods in regions of deficient rainfall where irrigation cannot developed, marketing facilities and Government policies, arc some of the other factors which boost wheat production.

Through generations of research and selection, hundreds of varieties have been developed to suit local conditions. Broadly speaking, wheat is classified according to its season of sowing, as winter wheat and spring*wheat.

Next to rice, wheat is the most important cereal crop of India. It is the staple food crop of the people of north and north-west India. Although, wheat is grown over a large part of the country yet, the Sutlej-Ganga Plain is the major wheat producing area of the country. The important states are Punjab, Haryana, eastern Rajasthan, U.P, M.P, Chhattisgarh, Jarkhand and Bihar. Wheat is also grown in the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Karnataka. Wheat occupies 26 million hectares of land and produces about 69 million metric tonnes of wheat accounting for 8-5% of the world’s total output. Wheat cultivation in India has been favored by a variety of geographical and economic factors. The climate of these regions characterized by cool winters and availability of winter rains, irrigational facilities, alluvial soils, flat topography, improvement in methods of production, use of manures and fertilizers are some of the contributory factors responsible for the cultivation of wheat.

Wheat is a winter crop in India. It is a ‘rabbi crop’ grown at the end of the rainy season and harvested in early summers. The use of modern farm technology has resulted in achieving Green Revolution in the country with the result that India has become self-sufficient in wheat requirements.

Wheat occupies 17% of the cropped area of the country. The share of important wheat producing states in the toral stock of India is as follows:

% production of India

The state of Uttar Pradesh has the largest acreage under wheat in India 34% followed by Punjab 21%. Punjab, Haryana, U.P and M.P are wheat surplus states and thus supply wheat to other states of India. Wheat is the principal crop of the land used in the North-western section of the country. U.P, Haryana and Punjab are the three major wheat producing states of India and contribute about 55% wheat of the country. This part of the country including eastern parts of Rajasthan is the Wheat Belt of India. These three states and the states of Rajasthan, M.P and Bihar produce 90% wheat of India.

U.P. It is the largest wheat growing state of India. It contributes 34% of India’s production. Fine alluvial soils, network of canal system, installation of tubewells and wells, flat topography ctc. Attribute to attaining top position in India in respect of wheat production.

Wheat cultivation is concentrated in: (i) Ganga-Ghagra Doab. (it) Ganga-Jamuna Doab.

The two Doabs contribute 75% of state’s production. Nearly 50 districts of U.E grow wheat. These are Saharanpur, Meerut, Moradabad, Rampur, Etawah, Hardoi, Gonda etc.

Punjab .

Punjab has emerged as an important wheat producing state of India. Introduction of modern farm technology, high yielding variety seeds, evolution of new varieties of wheat by the P.A.U. Ludhiana have resulted in ushering Green Revolution and boosting crop production in the state.

A network of canal irrigation system, installation of tube wells and pumping sets for irrigating fields, alluvial soils, enterprising and hardworking nature of Punjabi farmers, use of machines, manures and fertilizers, pesticides, marketing facilities, network of village and state roads etc. further gave impetus to wheat culture.

The state records highest per acre yield to the tune of 3700 kg ha. The important wheat producing districts are Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar, Ferozepur, Sangrur, Patiala, Bhatinda and others.

Haryana.

Physical and economic environments for wheat culture are almost similar to those in the neighbouring state of Punjab. The state ranks third largest wheat growing state of India accounting for 11% of total production of the country.

Impacts of Green Revolution are also there in this state. The main wheat growing districts are Ambala, Karnal, Jind, Hissar, Rohtak, Sonepat etc.

Rajasthan.

The state produces 8-5% wheat of India. The construction of Indira Gandhi Canal has changed cropping pattern in favour of wheat cultivation. The main districts are Ganga Nagar, Bharatpur, Kota etc.

2. Rice

Rice is the staple food for a vast majority of people in India particularly those of southern and north-eastern states.

Rice has been grown since times immemorial. The exact place of its origin, though not known, yet botanists are of the opinion that rice was first of all grown in India or China as far back as 3000 BC. The old Indian and Chinese books have references of rice cultivation in these countries.

Geographical and Economic Factors

Rice is a subtropical plant. It finds ideal conditions of growth in the subtropical latitudes of South-eastern Asia.

A combination of geographical and economic factors is required for the cultivation of rice.

1. The crop requires high temperature and high humidity, with abundance of water during its growth. The plants require a temperature from 10 to 21°C during sowing period and over 37°C at the time of harvest.

Of all the environmental factors affecting rice culture, water supply is the most important. It grows best in regions of heavy rainfall but where rainfall is less, irrigation is essential for the success of the crop.

2. Rice grows under diverse soil conditions. However, loams with a high silt and clay content are the best. Rice is also grown in red and literate soils.

3. Since the rice fields are flooded with water as such the flat regions, the deltas, the flood plains and the coastal plains are best areas for the cultivation of rice. Rice is also grown on hill-terraces

4. The tilling of land, preparation of fields, transplantation of paddy plants, harvesting, husking and thrashing of the paddy are done by hand as such, availability of cheap labour is an essential factor in rice culture.

5. Use of fertilizers, pesticides and high yielding variety seeds result in higher production. It is very much apt to say that rice needs plenty of labour, plenty of water, plenty of sun shine and plenty of care and patience for plenty of production.

Rice is grown in India in three ways:

(i) Broadcast method

(ii) Drill method

(iii) Transplantation method

Broadcast method is adopted in area of scarce labour force and poor soils. Drill method is used in Peninsular India. The transplantation method is quite common and is practiced in river deltas and plain areas.

Transplantation method involves in plenty of labour because uprooted seedlings are planted again in the fields prepared for the purpose.

The average yield of rice in India is very low, 1928 kg in 1998-99 where as it is

Rice is classified as Japonica and India. Japonica is a crop of high latitudes. It responds very well to the application of fertilizers, thus is intensively grown in Japan, Korea, Formosa etc. The India is a crop of low latitudes. Japonica variety gives higher yields per acre than India variety.

Rice is also classified as upland or hilly rice and low land and swamp rice. The lowland rice is a transplanted crop and requires frequent use of water through irrigation.

90% of world rice is of Lowland type grown in plain fields having embankments. 10% of world rice is upland rice grown on hilly slopes by making terraced fields.

India .

Rice is the most important food crop of India. It covers about 31% of total cropped area. It is the staple food crop of people of South and North-eastern states. India is the second largest producer of rice in the world. In 2000, India produced 86 million metric tonnes of rice, about 20 per cent of world rice.

Rice is one of the principal crops of the country particularly in the southern States. About 42 million hectares of land is devoted to rice culture in this country. Although Rice is grown in every state and Union Territory of India yet West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, are the most important.

These states produce more than 80 per cent of rice of the country. Punjab and Haryana have attained special significance in rice production in India due to a number of favourable geographic and economic factors.

In India, rice is grown from 8°N-25°N latitude and from sea level up to 2500 metres.

West Bengal leads in rice production. It is followed by Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Orissa.

As regards per acre yield, Punjab is the leader.

Rice cultivation has been favoured by a variety of geographical and economic factors. Tropical Monsoon climate characterized by high temperature and a long rainy spell is very favourable for rice culture.

In the southern and eastern states, where rainfall is heavy, two or three rice crops are raised in a year. In the states of Punjab and Haryana development of irrigation has played a vital role in the cultivation of rice. In these states area under rice has witnessed an upward trend.

The soils of these states are clayey to alluvial, thus very suitable for rice cultivation. The valleys, flood plains, coastal plains and the deltas are intensively given to rice cultivation.

Moreover, use of manures and fertilizers, pesticides, high yielding variety seeds, extension of area under rice, adoption of Japanese methods of rice cultivation, development of irrigation facilities, marketing facilities and large market at home are some of the most important factors which have boosted rice culture in the country.

Regarding rice culture it is generally said that rice crop needs plenty of water, sunshine, labour, plenty of alluvium and feeds plenty of people.

In India Rice is grown by:

(i) Broadcasting method.

(ii) Drill method.

(iii) Transplantation method.

(iv) Japanese method.

Rice has over 10,000 varieties.

Aus, Aman and Boro are three cropping seasons in India. 49% rice of India is Aman or Rabi or winter, 44% Indian rice is Aus or Kharif or Autumn, 7% Boro or spring rice.

State wise and important districts of rice culture in India are:

1.West Bengal.

It is the largest producer of rice in India. Rice occupies over 60% of the sown area in each district in the state. Uniformly high temperature, frequent floods due to copious rainfall, fertile silt deposits on rice land due to flooding, help raising three crops a year. Aman (winter) is the most outstanding 78%.

It is broadcast crop in lowlands. Aus 20% (autumn) is also a crop of lowlands. Boro 2% is the least important. It is a crop of depressions and swampy areas. The methods of cultivation are traditional.

The districts in which rice is grown in the state are Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri, Bankura, Midnapur, Dinajpur, Burdwan, 24 Pargana and Birbhum.

2. U.P. and Uttaranchal.

These states contribute nearly 12-5% of total rice of India. The acreage accounts for 12% of the country. In these states two regions predominate in rice culture. One along the Terai extending from Dehradun, Pilibhit, Saharanpur to Deoria, Gonda, Basti, Rae Bareli, Lucknow, Varanasi and Gorakhpur.

The second rice area is comprised of the slopes (terraces) of the lesser and middle Himalayas. Methods of farming are poor. Size of land holdings are also small Per area yield is low.

3. Andhra Pradesh.

It produces 8% rice of India. The Krishna and Godavri deltas and the coastal plain areas of the East and West Godavri, Guntur, Kurnool, Nalgonda, Anandpur, Nellore,. Vishakhapatnam and Cuddapah are major rice producing districts. Soils, climate and physiography favour rice culture.

4. Tamil Nadu.

This state produces 10% rice of India. North and South Arcot and Thanjavur districts in the kaveri delta account for 65% of the production. Ramanathapuram, Tirchurapalli, Tirunelveli are other rice producing districts.

5. Punjab.

Punjab grows 10% rice of India. The state has emerged as an important rice producing state on account of extension of irrigation, use of fertilizers, pesticides and increased acreage.

The districts of Patiala, Sangrur, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Faridkot, Amritsar, Kapurthala are major producers.

6.Orissa.

8% production, 10% acreage. The main rice districts include Cuttack, Puri, Balasore, Ganjam, Koraput, Mayurbhanj.

7. M.P. and Chhattisgarh.

Contribute nearly 8% of rice of India. Rice is intensively grown in the valleys of the rivers Tapti, Mahanadi and Narmada. Raipur, Bastar, Raigarh, Bilaspur, Durg, Jabalpur, Betul, Balaghat and Sarguja are important rice growing districts.

Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Assam, Haryana are other important rice growing states of India.

Per acre yield of rice in India is low due to several physical, economic and technological reasons.

1. The north-eastern states experience frequent floods thus crop is damaged.

2. In some parts of states of West Bengal, Orissa and Jharkhand drought affects rice production.

3. The fields are small.

4. Methods of cultivation are poor, crude and backward. These result in low yield.

5. Poor and illiterate Indian peasantry can ill afford modern farm inputs, so essential for increasing productivity.

6. More than 300 varieties of rice have been evolved during the last two decades, but these are suitable for the areas having assured irrigation facilities, areas as such in most parts of India traditional varieties like Monaharsali in Assam and Jalmagna in U.P ; Jayshrec in Bihar; Biraj in West Bengal are being grown. The yield is poor.

Trade.

Most of the rice is consumed in the country. However, basmati rice is demanded in the Gulf countries. In 1999 only 6 lakh tonnes of basmati rice was exported to Gulf states.

3. Maize (corn)

Maize is an inferior grain. It is often called Indian corn or corn. It is used both as a food and feed crop. Corn provides food to man, grain to poultry birds and stalk to the cattle.

Maize is put to different uses like starch, glucose, alcohol and vegetable oil. Its stalks are used for manufacturing rayon, paper and plastics, whereas its cob serves as a domestic fuel and for preparing manure.

Corn is a widely grown cereal. It originated in America, where it has been cultivated by Red Indians since long. Corn is a staple food crop in many Latin countries. Christopher Columbus introduced corn to the farmers of Europe.

Presently it is extensively grown all over the world, since the crop is adaptable to different climatic conditions. In India, maize was introduced by the Britishers in the 17th century.

Corn is widely grown in tropical and warm temperate latitudes. Its geographical requirements are:

1. Temperature.

Corn requires summer temperature between 18°C and 27°C at day time and 14°C during night. It needs 140 frost free days. Frost is very harmful for the crop as such its cultivation in the temperate latitudes is limited.

2. Rainfall.

Areas of25-45 inches of rainfall are very suitable. Corn also thrives in semi arid areas.

3. Soils.

It grows in a variety of soil zones. Fertile well drained alluvial soils are ideal for corn culture because these are rich in nitrogen. Mountain slopes with thin soils also support corn.

4. Topography.

Corn grows best in flat or gently rolling or undulating areas. However, mountain slopes are also used for corn cultivation.

5. Use of machines, fertilizers, high yielding variety seed, marketing facilities, development of means of transport and demand induce corn cultivation.

In India the major areas of corn culture are the states of U.E, Karnataka, Bihar, Haryana, Punjab, eastern Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and H.P. Climate is suitable. Soils are loamy. Topography is flat.

These are the principal agricultural states of India where India’s peasant population is concentrated. Thus these states have all the physical and economic factors suitable for the cultivation of corn. Corn producing states are:

4. cotton

Cotton is an industrial vegetable fibre. The fibre is obtained from the bolls or opened seed pods of a tropical or sub-tropical bush. Its quality of lightness and cheapness makes it an ideal material for clothing.

The cotton fibre is strong, durable and washable. It is used all over the world for making clothes, carpets, threads etc.

Though cotton had been known to the ancient Egyptians since long and its cultivation had been done in India and China since times immemorial, the real development of cotton cultivation came up in the wake of Industrial Revolution in Europe.

The invention of cotton ginning machine and introduction of mechanized spinning and weaving in 1793, gave impetus to cotton textile manufacturing. It caused demand for cotton.

However, the cultivation of cotton came up in the world in a big way in the beginning of twentieth century and subsequent years on account of growing world population, advancements in methods of farming and development of means of transportation. Conditions of Growth

Ideal conditions for cotton production are:

(a) Equable warm climatic conditions during die growing season, with temperature reaching 25°C in summer.

(b) A minimum period of 180-210 days free from frost.

(c) Dry sunny days at the time of picking.

(d) Deep rich well drained soils, alluvial, basic and black earths are ideal.

(e) It is a robber crop, thus frequent use of manure and fertilizer is required.

(f) Sea breezes arc beneficial for the quality of cotton fibre.

(g) Flat to gently rolling regions are best grounds for cotton culture.

(h) The plant is susceptible to diseases. Use of pesticides and insecticides is essential.

(i) An annual rainfall of50-100 cms favours cotton growth. In regions of deficient rainfall, irrigation plays a significant role in cotton cultivation.

(j) Cheap labour to do the work of ploughing, sowing, weeding and picking is an important factor. Development of means of transportation, well developed cotton textile manufacturing, mechanization of agriculture and marketing facilities are some of the important geographical and economic factors, which favour cotton cultivation.

Cotton Varieties.

On the basis of length of fibre cotton is classified as:

(a) Short staple cotton. If the length of the fibre is less than 2-5 cms.

(b) Medium staple cotton. The length of the fibre is 2-5 cms to 4 cms.

(c) Long staple cotton. If the length of the fibre is more than 4 cms.

India ranks next only to the U.S.A. in area and next to the U.S.A., CIS and China in production of cotton. Cotton occupies about 5 per cent of the total cropped area in the country.

Area under cotton has witnessed a sharp increase with time. It is the most important fibre crop. It provides raw material to textile industry. Seeds are used for manufacturing ghee.

About two-thirds of” India’s area and production of cotton is contributed by the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Punjab, Haryana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. The cultivation of cotton is done in two major regions in India:

(а)Sutlej Ganga Plain.

(b)Deccan Plateau.

Cotton is a Kharif crop. It requires 6-8 months to mature.

Cotton cultivation has been favoured by a combination of favourable geographical and economic factors. The most important factors are excellent climate, fertile alluvial soils as in case of Sutlej-Ganga Plain and black earths (black cotton soils) in Deccan Plateau region, flat topography, introduction of irrigation facilities, improved farming techniques, introduction of new seeds of high yielding varieties, use of fertilizers, pesticides, demand of cotton in the country and availability of cheap labour.

Punjab ranks first in cotton production in India. It contributes 20% of India’s cotton. Production and area figures are as follows:

Most of the cotton grown in India belongs to short staple cotton variety. However, in some parts especially Punjab, cultivation of long staple cotton is practised. India exports short staple cotton to some countries.