Rabi crops

Subject: Geography

Context:

Wheat, mustard lead rabi crops coverage, total area up 7%

Details of rabi crop:

The government’s target of foodgrains output in 2022-23 (both kharif and rabi) is 328 mt, which is nearly 4 per cent higher than actual production of 2021-22.
Wheat acreage has increased by 15 per cent in November 2022 with respect to year-ago
Except in Haryana, it is higher in all other major wheat-growing States–Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat .
Wheat’s share is nearly 70 percent of the rabi foodgrains
In oilseeds-rapeseed and mustard acreages have increased by 14.7 per cent
There has been a reduction in the acreages of coarse cereals and pulses
Winter-grown paddy area has been increased by 11.5 per cent.
The government has targeted an output of 18.5 mt of rice from the rabi season.
The kharif rice production is estimated at 104.99 mt, against a target of 112 mt.

Concept:

Major Cropping season:

Kharif Crops

Kharif crops are also known as monsoon crops or autumn crops.
Kharif crops are usually sown at the beginning of the first rains during the advent of the south-west monsoon season, and they are harvested at the end of monsoon season (October-November).
These crops are dependent on the quantity of rainwater as well as its timing.
Rice is the most important Kharif crop of India.
Other examples of kharif crops are- Jowar, Maize (corn), Millet, Cotton, Green gram, Groundnut, Sesame, Soybean etc.

Rabi Crops

Rabi crops are agricultural crops that are sown in winter and harvested in the spring.
The rabi crops are sown around mid-November, preferably after the monsoon rains are over, and harvesting begins in April / May.
The crops are grown either with rainwater that has percolated into the ground or using irrigation. Large rain in winter spoils the rabi crops but is good for kharif crops.
The major rabi crop in India is wheat.
Other examples of rabi crops are – Barley, Oats, Pulses, Mustard, Linseed, Bajra etc.

Zaid crops

Zaid crops are summer season crops.
They grow in long time period mainly from March to June.
They require warm dry weather as major growth period and longer day length for flowering.
The Zaid crop season comes between the Rabi and Kharif crop seasons.
These crops also mature early.
Some of the crops produced during ‘zaid’ are watermelon, muskmelon, cucumber, vegetables and fodder crops.
States– Most of the northern and northwestern states.

Trends in production:

As per 2nd Advance Estimates, the estimated production of major crops during 2021-22 is as under:

Foodgrains –316.06 million tonnes. (record)–
- The production during 2021-22 is higher by 25.35 million tonnes than the previous five years’ (2016-17 to 2020-21) average production of foodgrains.
Rice –127.93 million tonnes. (record)
- It is higher by 11.49 million tonnes than the last five years’ average production of 116.44 million tonnes.
Wheat –111.32 million tonnes. (record)
- It is higher by 7.44 million tonnes than the average wheat production of 103.88 million tonnes.
Nutri / Coarse Cereals –49.86 million tonnes- higher by 3.28 million tonnes than the average production.
Maize –32.42 million tonnes. (record)-
Pulses –26.96 million tonnes.(record)-higher by 3.14 million tonnes than the last five years’ average production of 23.82 million tonnes.
- Gram – 13.12 million tonnes.(record)
Oilseeds –37.15 million tonnes-higher by 4.46 million tonnes than the average oilseeds production.
- Rapeseed and Mustard –11.46 million tonnes.(record)
Sugarcane – 414.04 million tonnes.(record)- higher by 40.59 million tonnes than the average sugarcane production of 373.46 million tonnes.
Cotton –34.06 million bales (each of 170 kg).
Jute & Mesta –9.57 million bales (each of 180 kg).