4.

Agro Climatic Zones in Maharashtra

Agro Climatic Zones in Maharashtra :

 

1. South Kokan Coastal Zone

Sr. Name Geographi Geographi Climatic Avera Soil Crop and

No of the cal location cal spread conditions ge type cropping
. Zone of the annua pattern
zone/Distri l
cts and rainfa
tahsils ll
included
I Very 15.30 to Comprises Daily 3105 Laterite Rice is the
high 18.50 N mainly of temp. mm in .PH 5.5- major       crops i.e.
rainfall Latitude72 Ratnagiri above 20 101 6.5 39% of cultivated
zone 45 to 74 50 and C. days acidic, area. Ragi 2nd imp
with E Sindhudurg Through poor in crop 0.45 lakh. Ha.
laterite Longitude Districts out the phospho Vari is a minor
soils Total area year. May rous rich hillmillet grown on
of the zone hottest in the slopes, pulses
is 13.20 above 33 nitrogen like horsegram
lakh ha. C. Rainfall and grown on residual
area under due to S- Potassiu moisture.
cultivation W m Oilseeds- Niger /
3.5 lakh ha. monsoon Sesamum, area
from June under Summer
to Sept. Ground nut, Jowar
and Tur is likely to
increase with
irrigation.
Horticultural
crops-Mango,
Coconut,
Arecanut,
Cashewnut
Jackfruit, Banana
and Pineapple
Spices like clove
Nutmeg and
Blackpepper

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 2. North Kokan Coastal Zone

Sr Name of Geographic Geographical Climatic Average Soil Crop and

. the al location spread of the conditions annual type cropping
N Zone zone/Districts rainfall pattern
o. and tahsils
included

II Very 17 52 to 20 Comprises of Avg. daily 2607 Coarse Rice is

high 20 latitude Thane & Raigad temp 22 to mm in & major crop
rainfall 70 70 to 73 districts. Total 30C.Mini.t 87 days. shallow 40,600
zone 48 E area 16.59 lakh. emp17 to Maximu . PH lakh.ha
with non longitude ha Net sown 27 C. m rain 5.5 to Vari 19,600
lateritic area 4.69 lakh Humidity received 6.5, ha. Pulses-
soils ha. With forest 98%in in July acidic udid / tur
zone about 3%. rainy i.e.41% Rich in Vegetables-
32% of land is season & nitroge brinjal,
under forest. winter- n, poor tomato Oil
60% in seeds-
phosph sesamum,
orus & niger
potash. Fruits-
banana,
chicoo

3. Western Ghat Zone

Sr Name Geograp Geographic Climatic Average Soil type Crop and

. of the hical al spread of conditio annual cropping pattern
N Zone location the ns rainfall
o. zone/Distri
cts and
tahsils
included
III Weste Narrow It includes Maximu 3000 to 'Warkas ' 25% area is under
rn strip hilly high m temp. 6000 mm. i.e. light forest. Principal
Ghat extending lying ranges Rainfall laterite & crops-
Zone from terrains of from 29- recorded in reddish rice/ragi/kodra &
/ Ghat north to Kolahapur, 39 C. different brown. other cereals. 
zone south Satara, Minimu places of Distinctly Rabi   Jowar,
along the Pune, m temp the zone viz acidic, gram, groundnut,
crest of Ahmednaga ranges Igatpuri, poor niger. Sugarcane
Sahyadri r & Nasik from 13- Lonawala, fertility major crop. Area
ranges districts & 20 C. Mahabalesh low under spices 353
small area war & phosphor ha. Fruits
of Radhanagar ous& &vegetables
Sindhudurg i. potash 2933ha.Well
district. content. suited conditions
Altitude for rainfed crops.
varies from Fruits – Mango,
1000- Cashew, Jackfruit,
1900mt Jamun and
Karwanda.

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 4. Transition zone -1

Sr. Name of Geograph Geographi Climatic Averag Soil type Crop and
No the Zone ical cal spread conditio e cropping
. location of the ns annual pattern
zone / rainfal
Districts l
and
tahsils
included
IV Sub Located on Spreads Average 700- Soils are Mainly
Montane eastern over 19 maximu 2500 reddish dominated by
Zone/Transi slopes of tahsils of m mm. brown to kharrif cereals,
tion Zone 1 Sahyadri five temperat Rains black groundnut &
ranges districts ure is receive tending sugarcane. Rabi
viz, nasik, between d to crops are taken
pune, 28-35 C mostly lateritic. where there are
satara, and from S- PH 6- deep soils &
sangli & minimu W 7.Well moisture
kolhapur. m 14-19 monso supplied holding
The area of C on. in capacity.
the zone nitrogen Vegetables-
measures but low potato, onion,
10,289 Sq in chilies, tomato
Km phosphor & brinjal.
ous & Fruits-mango,
potash banana, guava
cashew &
grapes.

5. Transition Zone - 2

S Name of Geographi Geographi Climati Average Soil type Crop and

r. the Zone cal cal spread c annual cropping
N location of the conditio rainfall pattern
o. zone/Distri ns
cts and
tahsils
included
V Western It is a This zone Water Well Topograp The zone is
Maharasht wider strip includes availabil distribut hy is predominantly a
ra Plain running tahsils of ity ed plain. kharif tract
Zone/ parallel to Dhule, ranges rainfall Soils suitable for
Transition e astern Ahmednaga from 700 to grayish single rainfed
-2 side of Sub r, Sangli & 120-150 1200 black. crop. Principal
mountain central days. mm. Moderatel crops grown-
Zone. tahsils of Maximu y alkaline kharif & Rabi
Nasik, m 7.4-8.4, Jowar, Bajra,
Pune, temperat lowest Groundnut,
Satara & ure 40C layer is Wheat,
Kolhapur & 'Murum' Sugarcane,
districts. minimu strata. Fair Udid, Tur,
Geographic m 5C. in NPK Gram & Ragi.

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 al area content.
17.91 lakh Well
ha .Net area drained &
sown is good for
8.86 Lakh irrigation.
ha.

6. Scarcity Zone

Sr. Name Geogra Geograp Climatic Average Soil type Crop and
No of the -phical hical conditions annual cropping
. Zone locatio spread of rainfall pattern
n the zone/
Districts
and
tahsils
included
VI Western         - This Suffers from Less General Based on
Mahara zone very low than topography bimodal
shtra covers rainfall with 750mm is having distribution of
Scarcity geograph uncertainty & in 45 slope rainfall hence
Zone/ ical area ill days. between 1- two cropping
Scarcity of 73.23 distribution. Two 2%. systems are
Zone lakh ha. Occurrence peaks of Infiltration noticed. During
The of drought is rainfall, rate is 6-7 kharif shallow
gross & noted once in 1) mm/hr. The & poor moisture
net three years. June/Jul soils are retentive soils
cultivate Dry spell y vertisol. are cultivated.
d area is varies from 2- 2) Soils have Medium deep,
58.42 ad 10 weeks. Septemb montmorillo moisture
53.0 lakh Water er. nite clay. holding capacity
ha availability Bimodal Poor in soils are
respectiv 60-140 days. pattern nitrogen, diverted to rabi
ely. Which is of low to cropping. Kharif
affected due rainfall. medium in cropping 25-
to 1) delayed phosphate & 30%. Crops -
onset of well bajra, Jowar,
monsoon supplied in Groundnut,
2) early potash. safflower,
cessation of pulses etc.
monsoon. Productivity is
Maximum rather low in
temperature both the
41 C seasons.
minimum
-14-15 C

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 7. Assured Rainfall Zone 

Sr Name of Geographi Geographic Climatic Avera Soil type Crop and

. the Zone cal location al spread of condition ge cropping
N the s annual pattern
o. zone/Distri rainfal
cts and l
tahsils
included
VI Central         - Comprises Maximu 700 to Soil colour Jowar is a
I Maharasht parts of m 900 ranges predominant
ra Plateau Aurangabad temperatu mm 75 from black crop
Zone , Jalna beed re 41 C % rains to red. occupying
/Assured & Minimum receive Type- 33% of gross
Rainfall Osmanabad temperatu d in all 1) vertisols cropped area
Zone districts. re 21 C district 2) entisols cotton-
Major parts s of the & 22.55%.oilsee
of Parbhani zone. 3) ds 5.17%,
& Nanded inceptisols pulses 7.63
& complete PH 7-7.5 %.Kharif,
Latur Jowar / Bajra
Buldhana & followed by
parts of gram ,
Akola, safflower .
Amravati, Area under
Yavatmal, paddy is
Jalgaon, increasing.
Dhule & Pulses - tur,
Solapur. mung, udid,
Area gram &
accounts to lentils Oil
75 lakh ha. seeds-
Gross groundnut,
cropped sesamum
area is 67.8 safflower &
lakh ha. niger.
Forest Sugarcane &
accounts to summer crops
9.90 % of are taken on
geographica availability of
l area. irrigation.

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 8. Moderate Rainfall Zone

Sr. Name of Geographica Geographical Climatic Averag Soil type Crop and
No. the Zone l location spread of the conditions e cropping
zone/Districts annual pattern
and tahsils rainfall
included
VIII Central There are five The zone Maximum 1130 Black Cropping
Vidarbha sub- zones of includes entire temperature mm. soils patterns
Zone central Wardha, major 33-38 C derived Involves
/Zone of Vidarbha parts of Nagpur Minimum from Cotton,
Moderate zone based on Yavatmal 2 temperature basalt Kh.
Rainfall climate soil & tahsils of 16-26 C. rock. Jowar,
cropping Chandrapur & Average Medium Tur,
pattern parts of daily to heavy Wheat
Aurangabad, humidity 72 in texture other
Jalna Parbhani % in rainy alkaline Pluses &
& Nanded season, 53 in Oilseeds
districts. Largest % in winter reaction.
agro climatic & 35% in Low
zone summer. lying
encompassing areas are
49.88 lakh ha rich and
geographical fertile.
area & 35.73
lakh ha net
cropped area.

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 9. Eastern Vidarbha Zone

Sr. Name of the Geograph Geographical Climatic Average Soil type Crop and
No. Zone ical spread of the conditions annual cropping
location zone / rainfall pattern
Districts and
Tahsils
included
IX Eastern          - Includes entire Mean 950 to 1250 Soils Paddy is
Vidharbha Bhandara & Maximum mm on derive predomina
Zone/High Gadchiroli and temperatur western from nt crop in
Rainfall parts of e varies side. 1700 parent Bhandara.
Zone with Chandrapur from 32 to mm on rock Rb.
Soils and Nagpur 37 C. extreme east granite, Pulses-
derived from districts. Minimum side No of gneisses, Gram,
parent Geographical temperatur rainy days and Lathyrus.
material of area is 32.7 e 15 to 24 59. schists. Paddy is
different lakh / Ha. And C. Daily Brown to followed
crops. There with almost humdity Red in by Rb.
are four sub 50% under 73% for colour. Jowar
zone based forest. Gross rainy PH 6 to 7 Pulses and
on climate, crop area 10.8 season 62 Oilseeds.
soil sand lakhs/Ha. winter &
crop pattern 35 summer

Source: http://agri.mah.nic.in/agri/stat/htmlarea/cli_table.htm

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