GEOGRAPHY CHAPTER 4

AGRICULTURE
 KEY TERMS
 AGRICULTURE: - It is the science of farming,
including cultivation of the soil for growing
crops and rearing animals.
 SERICULTURE: - Sericulture or silk farming is

the rearing of silkworms for the production of

silk.
 HORTICULTURE: - It is the science,

technology and business involved in intensive

plant cultivation for human use.
 TYPES OF FARMING
Primitive Subsistence Intensive Subsistence Commercial Plantation

Small landholdings More population Big landholdings Type of commercial

pressure on land farming

Use of primitive tools Labour intensive Use of modern inputs – 1 single crop grown on
HYV large area

Family/Community tools More inputs and means Seeds, chemical fertilisers Interface of agriculture
of irrigation use etc. For higher outputs and industry

Depends on natural fertility High yield/hectare Comparatively less Uses capital intensive
and monsoon pressure on land inputs

Low productivity/Self Small landholdings Migrant labour hired

sustenance

Nature replenishes soil

fertility
 AGRICULTURAL REFORMS

TECHNOLOGICAL INSTITUTIONAL

Green revolution (package technology) Collectivisation and consolidation of holdings

White revolution (operation flood) Abolition of zamindari

Weather bulletins and agricultural programmes for Crop insurance against natural disasters
farmers on radio and T.V

Indian Council of Agricultural research, Agricultural Grameen banks and co-operative socities
Universities, animal breeding centres, horticulture KCC AND PAIS
development. MSP
 CROP SEASO CLIMATE AREAS LEADING SOIL IMP. FEATURES
N STATES
Rice Kharif High temp. <25C Northern Plains, Punjab, Alluvial 1.Staple food crop, India
High rainfall Plains of North- Harayana 2nd largest producer after
<100cms. East India, Coastal W. UP, West China. 2.Development
Bright sun, flooded Plains and Deltaic Bengal and of irrigation has led to
fields and frequent regions Bihar growing of rice in less
showers.High rainfall regions also.
humidity.

Wheat Rabi Cool growing N. and NW. part of Punjab, Alluvial 1.Second most important
season bright India. There are 2 Harayana & cereal crop of India.
sunshine at the main zones: - U.P and Black 2.Essentialy a crop of
time of ripening 1. Ganga-Satluj Bihar Northern India.
Temp.16-25C plains in NW. 3.Recorded tremendous
Rainfall 50-75cm 2. Black soil region- increase due to Green
Deccan. Revolution.

Maize Kharif High temp. 21-27C Karnataka, Old 1. Used both as food and
High rainfall 50- UP, Bihar, alluvial fodder.
100cm Andhra soil 2. In Bihar grown in Rabi
Sufficient moisture Pradesh and well season.
and sunlight, MP. drained 3. Use of modern inputs
stagnant water is lead to increased
harmful production.
Pulses Kharif Need less moisture and M.P, U.P, 1. Largest producer and
can survive dry Rajasthan, consumer of pulses in the World.
conditions as well Maharashtra 2. Major source of protein in a
and Karnataka vegetarian diet.
3. Important pulses grown in
India are tur, urad, moong,
masur, peas and gram.
4. Grown in crop rotation with
other crops.
5. Helps in nitrogen fixation

Sugarcane Kharif High temp. 21-27C Almost all over India. S UP, Variety of 1. Needs manual labour from
Humid 75-100 cm RF India is ideal but Maharashtra, soils sowing to harvesting.
irrigation needed. irrigation facilities led Karnataka, TN, Deep 2. 2nd largest producer after
Moist winds increase to its cultivation in AP, Bihar fertile Brazil.
sugar content. Tropical northern India. alluvial & 3. Main source of sugar, gur,
and sub-tropical crop. black khandsari and molasses.
ideal. 4. Long duration crop.

Tea Perennia Tropical and Sub. Hilly slopes Assam, hills of Deep 1.Plantation agriculture ,an
l Tropical climate warm Darjeeling and fertile,we imp.beverage crop.
and moist, frost free Jalpaiguri in ll drained 2. Frequent showers ensure fresh
climate all through the W.Bengal,TN soil rich growth of leaves throughout.
year. and Kerala. in humus 3. Labour intensive industry.
High temp. 20-30C and 4. India ranks 3rd after China and
High rainfall 150-300cm organic Turkey.
High humidity help in matter.
growth of tender leaves
Coffee Perennial Tropical and Sub-Tropical Nilgiri hills & Baba Budan Karnataka, Well 1. India produces 3.2% of World’s
hot humid climate. hills. Kerala and Tamil drained coffee.
High temp 15-28C Nadu. slopy soil 2. Arabica variety brought from
High rainfall 150-200cm. Yemen is grown which is in great
Plants grow under tree demand all over the world.
shelters as direct sunlight 3. Stagnant water destroys the crop.
harms.

Rubber Perennial Tropical and Equatorial areas Kerala, TN, Well 1. An important industrial raw
Sub-Tropical, Moist and Karnataka, drained material.
Humid. RF <200 Andaman & soil on hill 2. India is 4th among world’s
cms.Temp.+25 C Nicobar islands slopes producers.
and Meghalaya. 3. 97% of the demand is met from
domestic production.

Cotton Kharif High temp. 21-27C. Less Drier parts of Deccan Maharastra, Black 1. Believed to be the original home.
Rain50-80cm Plateau. Gujarat, MP, cotton soil 2. Major raw material,a cash crop.
Abundant sunshine and Karnataka, AP, 3. India is 2rd largest producer in the
210 frost free days in a TN World after China.
year. Takes 6-8 months to 4. Sensitive to frost and dust.
mature. Dry, cloudless at 5. Water should not stagnate.
the time of picking 6. Used for making cloth and edible
cotton. oil.
Jute Kharif High temp. 27-34C Flood plains W. Bengal, Well 1. Known as the Golden
Heavy rain150- Bihar, Orrisa, drained Fibre.
200cm Assam, clayey 2. Depletes soil very fast.
Plenty of water Meghalaya loamy 3. Used in making gunny
during growing and soil of bags, mats, ropes.
processing flood 4. Production is declining
Takes 8-10 months plains due to its high cost.
to mature. and 5. Faces competition from
deltas, other cos and other fibres.
gets
renewe
d.
 OILSEEDS
NAME LEADING STATES IMPORTANT FEATURES
Groundnut (Kharif) Gujarat ,Andhra Pradesh& 1. Most important of all.
TN 2. Accounts for 50% of the major oil seeds
produced in India.
3. 2nd largest producer after China

Sesamum/til Gujarat, TN, 1. Grown almost all over the country.

Kharif in North WBengal, Karnataka and 2. It’s a rain fed crop.
Rabi in South MP.

Rapeseed and Mustard Rajasthan, UP, Harayana, W 1. Important oilseeds of North India.
(Rabi) Bengal and MP. 2. Grown as mixed crops.

Linseed (Rabi) MP, UP, Bihar, Chattisgarh Third largest producer after Russia and Canada.
and Maharashtra.

Castor seed (Both Kharif & Gujarat, AP & Rajasthan. 1. It’s a tree crop.
Rabi) 2. Ranks 2nd after Brazil.
 MILLETS
NAME GROWING CONDITIONS LEADING STATES IMPORTANT FEATURES
CLIMATE AND SOIL

Ragi (Kharif) Temp.-20-22C Dry regions- Karnataka, Coarse grains with high nutrition
Rainfall- less 40-50 cm TN, HP value. Rich in iron, calcium, micro
Red, black, sandy, loamy, nutrients and roughage.
shallow soil

Jowar Temp- 18-32C Maharashtra, Karnataka, 3rd most imp. food crop in terms
(Kharif) Rainfall- 30-60cm AP, MP. of area and production.
Rainfed crop

Bajra Temp- 20-33 C Rajasthan, UP, Used for making starch and
Rainfall- 40-50cm Maharashtra. glucose
Sandy soil and shallow black
soil.