Agriculture in India

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Agriculture in India: An Overview Significance: Two-thirds of India's population engaged in agriculture. Output: Produces most of the food consumed, raw materials for industries, and export goods (tea, coffee, spices). Types of Farming Cultivation methods vary based on physical environment, technology, and socio-cultural practices. 1. Primitive Subsistence Farming Characteristics: Practised in few pockets. Small patches of land. Primitive tools (hoe, dao, digging sticks). Family/community labor. Depends on monsoon, natural soil fertility. Method: 'Slash and burn' agriculture (Jhumming). Farmers clear land, produce crops, and shift when soil fertility decreases. Productivity: Low, as no fertilizers or modern inputs are used. Regional Names (India): Madhya Pradesh: 'Bewar' or 'Dahiya' Andhra Pradesh: 'Podu' or 'Penda' Odisha: 'Pama Dabi', 'Koman', or 'Bringa' Western Ghats: 'Kumari' South-eastern Rajasthan: 'Valre' or 'Waltre' Himalayan belt: 'Khil' Jharkhand: 'Kuruwa' North-eastern Region: 'Jhumming' (Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland) Global Names: 'Milpa' (Mexico, Central America), 'Conuco' (Venezuela), 'Roca' (Brazil), 'Masole' (Central Africa), 'Ladang' (Indonesia), 'Ray' (Vietnam). 2. Intensive Subsistence Farming Characteristics: Practised in areas of high population pressure. Labour-intensive. High doses of biochemical inputs and irrigation for higher production. Challenges: 'Right of inheritance' leads to land division, making holdings uneconomical. Farmers maximize output from limited land. 3. Commercial Farming Characteristics: Use of higher doses of modern inputs (HYV seeds, chemical fertilizers, insecticides, pesticides). Aims for higher productivity. Degree of commercialization varies (e.g., Rice is commercial in Haryana/Punjab, but subsistence in Odisha). 4. Plantation Agriculture Characteristics: Type of commercial farming. Single crop grown on a large area. Interface of agriculture and industry. Capital-intensive, uses migrant labor. Produce used as raw material in industries. Important Plantation Crops in India: Tea, coffee, rubber, sugarcane, banana. Examples: Tea in Assam/North Bengal, coffee in Karnataka. Key to Development: Well-developed transport, communication, processing industries, and markets. Cropping Pattern in India Reflects physical diversities and cultural plurality. 1. Rabi Crops Sowing: Winter (October-December). Harvesting: Summer (April-June). Important Crops: Wheat, barley, peas, gram, mustard. Major Producing States: Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh. Success Factors: Winter precipitation from western temperate cyclones, Green Revolution. 2. Kharif Crops Sowing: Onset of monsoon. Harvesting: September-October. Important Crops: Paddy, maize, jowar, bajra, tur (arhar), moong, urad, cotton, jute, groundnut, soyabean. Major Rice-Growing Regions: Assam, West Bengal, coastal Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab, Haryana. Paddy Crops in a year (Assam, West Bengal, Odisha): Aus, Aman, Boro. 3. Zaid Season Period: Short season between rabi and kharif (summer months). Crops: Watermelon, muskmelon, cucumber, vegetables, fodder crops. Note: Sugarcane takes almost a year to grow. Major Crops in India Variety of food and non-food crops based on soil, climate, and cultivation practices. 1. Rice Type: Kharif crop. Importance: Staple food for majority of Indians, second largest producer globally (after China). Requirements: High temperature (above $25^\circ C$), high humidity, annual rainfall above $100$ cm. Irrigation in less rainfall areas. Growing Regions: Plains of north/north-eastern India, coastal areas, deltaic regions. Punjab, Haryana, W. Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan (due to canal irrigation/tubewells). 2. Wheat Type: Rabi crop. Importance: Second most important cereal, main food crop in north/north-western India. Requirements: Cool growing season, bright sunshine for ripening, $50-75$ cm annual rainfall (evenly distributed). Growing Zones: Ganga-Satluj plains (north-west), Black soil region (Deccan). Major Producing States: Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan. 3. Millets (Coarse Grains) Importance: High nutritional value (iron, calcium, micronutrients, roughage). Types: Jowar, Bajra, Ragi. Jowar: Third most important food crop (area/production). Rain-fed crop, grown in moist areas. Major Producing States: Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh. Bajra: Grows well on sandy soils and shallow black soil. Major Producing States: Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Haryana. Ragi: Crop of dry regions, grows well on red, black, sandy, loamy, shallow black soils. Major Producing States: Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Jharkhand, Arunachal Pradesh. 4. Maize Type: Kharif crop (food and fodder). Requirements: Temperature $21^\circ C-27^\circ C$, old alluvial soil. Note: Grown in rabi season in some states like Bihar. Factors for Increased Production: HYV seeds, fertilizers, irrigation. Major Producing States: Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana. 5. Pulses Importance: Largest producer and consumer globally, major source of protein in vegetarian diet. Types: Tur (arhar), urad, moong, masur, peas, gram. Requirements: Less moisture, survive in dry conditions. Soil Fertility: Leguminous crops (except arhar) fix nitrogen, restoring soil fertility. Grown in rotation with other crops. Major Producing States: Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka. Food Crops other than Grains 1. Sugarcane Type: Tropical and subtropical crop. Requirements: Hot and humid climate ($21^\circ C-27^\circ C$), annual rainfall $75-100$ cm. Irrigation needed in low rainfall regions. Soil: Grown on a variety of soils, needs manual labor. Importance: Second largest producer globally (after Brazil). Main source of sugar, gur (jaggery), khandsari, molasses. Major Producing States: Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Bihar, Punjab, Haryana. 2. Oil Seeds Importance: India was the second largest producer of groundnut globally in 2020 (after China). Covers ~12% of total cropped area. Main Oil-seeds: Groundnut, mustard, coconut, sesamum (til), soyabean, castor seeds, cotton seeds, linseed, sunflower. Uses: Edible (cooking mediums), raw material for soap, cosmetics, ointments. Groundnut: Kharif crop, ~50% of major oilseeds. Largest Producer (2019-20): Gujarat, followed by Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu. Linseed & Mustard: Rabi crops. Sesamum: Kharif crop in north, rabi crop in south India. Castor Seed: Grown as both rabi and kharif crop. 3. Tea Type: Plantation agriculture, important beverage crop. History: Introduced by British, now mostly Indian-owned. Requirements: Tropical/sub-tropical climates, deep and fertile well-drained soil rich in humus/organic matter. Warm, moist, frost-free climate, frequent showers. Labor: Labour-intensive, requires abundant, cheap, skilled labor. Processing: Processed within tea gardens to retain freshness. Major Producing States: Assam, Darjeeling/Jalpaiguri (West Bengal), Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Meghalaya, Andhra Pradesh, Tripura. Global Ranking: India was the second largest producer globally in 2020 (after China). 4. Coffee Quality: Indian coffee (Arabica variety from Yemen) known for good quality, high global demand. Cultivation Regions: Initially Baba Budan Hills, now confined to Nilgiri Hills (Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu). 5. Horticulture Crops (Fruits & Vegetables) Importance: India was the second largest producer globally in 2020 (after China). Produces tropical and temperate fruits. Examples: Mangoes: Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal. Oranges: Nagpur, Cherrapunjee (Meghalaya). Bananas: Kerala, Mizoram, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu. Lichi & Guava: Uttar Pradesh, Bihar. Pineapples: Meghalaya. Grapes: Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra. Apples, Pears, Apricots, Walnuts: Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh. Non-Food Crops 1. Rubber Type: Equatorial crop, also grown in tropical/sub-tropical areas under special conditions. Requirements: Moist and humid climate, rainfall $>200$ cm, temperature $>25^\circ C$. Importance: Important industrial raw material. Major Producing States: Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Garo hills of Meghalaya. 2. Fibre Crops Types: Cotton, jute, hemp, natural silk. Source: First three derived from crops grown in soil; natural silk obtained from silkworm cocoons fed on mulberry leaves. Sericulture: Rearing of silkworms for silk production. 3. Cotton Origin: Believed to be the original home of the cotton plant. Importance: One of the main raw materials for cotton textile industry. Second largest producer globally (after China). Requirements: Drier parts of black cotton soil (Deccan plateau), high temperature, light rainfall/irrigation, 210 frost-free days, bright sunshine. Type: Kharif crop, matures in $6-8$ months. Major Producing States: Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh. 4. Jute (Golden Fibre) Requirements: Well-drained fertile soils in flood plains (renewed annually), high temperature during growth. Major Producing States: West Bengal, Bihar, Assam, Odisha, Meghalaya. Uses: Gunny bags, mats, ropes, yarn, carpets, other artefacts. Technological and Institutional Reforms in Indian Agriculture Challenges: Sustained land use without compatible techno-institutional changes, dependence on monsoon/natural fertility, uneconomical land holdings due to inheritance. Institutional Reforms (Post-Independence): Collectivization, consolidation of holdings, cooperation, abolition of zamindari. 'Land reform' was focus of First Five Year Plan. Laws were enacted but implementation was lacking. Agricultural Reforms (1960s-1970s): Green Revolution (package technology). White Revolution (Operation Flood). Note: These concentrated development in few selected areas. Comprehensive Land Development Programme (1980s-1990s): Included both institutional and technical reforms. Crop insurance against drought, flood, cyclone, fire, disease. Establishment of Grameen banks, cooperative societies for low-interest loans. Kisan Credit Card (KCC), Personal Accident Insurance Scheme (PAIS). Special weather bulletins and agricultural programs on radio/TV. Government announces minimum support price, remunerative, and procurement prices to check exploitation. Bhoodan – Gramdan (Blood-less Revolution): Initiated by Vinoba Bhave (spiritual heir of Mahatma Gandhi) to spread 'gram swarajya'. Bhave undertook 'padyatra' (foot march). In Pochampalli (Andhra Pradesh), Shri Ram Chandra Reddy offered $80$ acres for $80$ landless villagers (Bhoodan). Later, 'Gramdan' involved zamindars offering entire villages to the landless, sometimes due to fear of land ceiling acts.