Cropping Pattern in India

Cropping Pattern

Cropping pattern refers to the proportion of area under different crops, and the sequence in which crops are grown on a piece of land, at a given time and place. It reflects the interaction of soil, climate, rainfall, irrigation availability, market demand and government policy.

Classification of crops

• By season:
  • Kharif crops — sown with the onset of the southwest monsoon (June–July) and harvested in autumn (September–October); examples include paddy, maize, cotton, groundnut and sugarcane (as a long-duration crop).
  • Rabi crops — sown after the monsoon withdraws (October–November) and harvested in spring (March–April); examples include wheat, gram, mustard and barley.
  • Zaid crops — short-duration crops grown in the summer between the rabi harvest and the kharif sowing, using irrigation; examples include watermelon, cucumber and fodder crops.
• By use:
  • Food crops — cereals (rice, wheat, jowar, bajra, maize) and pulses grown mainly for human consumption.
  • Non-food / commercial (cash) crops — cotton, jute, sugarcane, oilseeds, tobacco and plantation crops, grown primarily for sale and industrial use rather than direct household consumption.

Changes in India's cropping pattern

• A gradual shift from foodgrains toward commercial crops, horticulture and cash crops, driven by relatively better and more assured returns from the latter.
• Rising share of area under horticultural crops (fruits, vegetables) as incomes and urban demand grow.
• Regional specialisation, with states concentrating on the crops best suited to their soil and climate — for instance, Andhra Pradesh is a leading producer of rice, along with a range of commercial and plantation crops such as cotton, tobacco, chillies, sugarcane and oilseeds, reflecting the state's varied soil and rainfall conditions. …