Agriculture Flashcards
Rice
Kharif
Staple food crop
India 2nd largest producer after China
> 25C
100cm rain
North, NE, deltaic, coastal areas
Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal
(tubewell, canal irrigation)
Wheat
Rabi
2nd most important cereal crop
Main food crop in N and NW
Cool growing season + bright sunshine when ripening
50-75cm rain
Ganga-Satluj plain, Deccan black soil: Madhya Pradesh, UP, Haryana, Rajasthan
Millets
Ragi
-calcium, iron, roughage, other micro nutrients
-Red, black, sandy, loamy, shallow black soils
-Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Jharkhand
Bajra
-sandy soil, shallow black soil
-Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra
Jowar
-3rd crop: production and area
-Rain fed, moist
-Maharashtra, MP, Andhra Pradesh
Pulses
Kharif and rabi
India largest producer/consumer
Protein in veg diet
Arhar (tur), masur, moong, urad, gram, peas
Leguminous (except arhar) grown in rotation
Less moisture, survive dry weather
Madhya Pradesh, UP, rj
Maize
Kharif (Bihar: rabi)
Food and fodder
Old alluvial soil
HYV, irrigation have boosted its production
UP, AP, MP
Sugarcane
tropical-subtropical
21-27 C
75-100cm
Brazil, India
Sugar, gur, molasses
UP, Punjab, Haryana
Oil seeds
soap cosmetics ointment’
12% total cropped area
coconut, sunflower, soyabean
Groundnut: Kharif
half of major oilseed produced
Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan
Linseed, mustard: rabi
Sesamum: k(north) r(south)
Castor: both
Tea
India 2nd to China
Plantation, introduced by British
subtropical tropical climate: warm moist free
Deep, well drained fertile soil rich in organic matter and humus
Light showers distributed
Labour intensive
Processed on the spot
Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, WB
Coffee
Arabica: Yemen
Baba Budan Hills
Nilgiri Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka
Horticulture crops
2nd to China
tropical and temperate
Mangoes: Maharashtra, UP
Oranges: Nagpur, Cherapunjee
Banana: Kerala, Tamil Nadu
Litchi guava: UP, Bihar
Pineapple: Meghalaya
Grapes: Maharashtra, Telangana
Apples, pears, walnuts, apricots: JnK, Himachal Pradesh
Rubber
Equatorial crop
Moist and warm
> 200cm, >25C
Meghalaya, Tamil Nadu, Kerala
Sericulture
Cocoons
Silkworm
Mulberrry
Cotton
Origin India
Cotton textile industry
Drier regions of black cotton soil Deccan plateau
6-8 months to mature, kharif
Light rain/irr, 210 frost free days, bright sunshine, high temp
UP, MP, AP
Jute
Golden fibre
Flood plains- well drained fertile soil
High temp
West Bengal, Odisha, Meghalaya
> > nylon, high cost
Institutional reforms after independence focused on
Abolishment of zamindari
collectivisation
consolidation of land holdings
cooperation
Reforms in 60s-70s
Effect
Green Revolution (package technology)
White Revolution (operation flood)
Concentration of development in selected areas
New Steps to protect farmers - 6
- Crop insurance against floods, droughts, cyclones
- Banks to provide cheap loans
- Establishment of Grameen Banks and cooperative societies
- Kissan Credit Card, Personal Accident Insurance Scheme
- Weather forecasts, agricultural programmes
- Minimum support price, remunerative and procurement prices for crops
Bhoodan-Gramdan
Vinoba Bhave
Blood-less revolution
Landowners/zamindars distribute land amongst landless
Shri Ram Chandra Reddy
Steps to modernise agriculture
- ICAR: Indian Council for Agricultural Research
- Agricultural Universities
- Veterinary services/animal breeding centres
- Horticulture dev research
- Meteorology and weather forecast
Threats to agriculture
- Reduction of public investment
- International competition
- Decrease in subsidies (fertilisers)
- Decrease in import duties
PDS
Provides food grains and other essential commodities at subsidised prices
Food Corporation of India (FCI) procures and stocks foodgrains,
Minimum Support Price
Adverse effects of MSP and subsidies
- Inefficient usage of scarce resources
- Waterlogging, salinity and depletion of micronutrients in soil
- MSP has distorted cropping patterns and created inter-crop parities
Ex: wheat/paddy, Punjab, Haryana - APL and BPL are not accurate and difficult to maintain
Steps to ensure food security
- Agriculture infrastructure,
-credit linkages,
-latest techniques - Promote crops as per potential of the region
- Should be sustainable
- Free trade of grains
Problems for farmers
- Fertilisers, pesticides and insecticides degrade the soil
2.Periodic scarcity of water has led to reduction in area under irrigation. - Inefficient water management has led to water logging and salinity
- Overexploitation of ground water due to free power supply
- Inadequate storage and marketing facilities
- High prices for inputs such as HYV seeds, fertilisers etc. but lack the bargaining power to fix prices in their favour
