Major crops of India

 Geography class 10

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Major crops of India

RICE  

It is the staple food crop of a majority of the people in India.

It is a kharif crop which requires high temperature and high humidity with annual rainfall above 100 cm.

Rice is grown in the plains of north and north-eastern India, coastal areas and the deltaic regions of canal irrigation and tubewells have made it possible to grow rice in areas of less rainfall such as Punjab, Haryana and Western U.P and parts of Rajasthan.

WHEAT

It is the main food crop in north and
north-western part of the country.

This rabi crop requires a cool growing season and a bright sunshine at the time of ripening.

 It requires 50 to 70 cm of annual rainfall.

There are two important wheat growing zones in the country- the Ganga Satluj plains in the north-west and black soil region of the Deccan.

The major wheat producing states are Punjab, Haryana, UP, Bihar, Rajasthan and parts of Madhya Pradesh.

MILLETS

Jowar, Bajra and Rabi are the important millets grown in India.

It is a main-fed crop mostly grown in the moist areas which hardly needs irrigation .

Rabi is a crop of dry regions and grows well on red, black, sandy, loamy and shallow black soils.

Karnataka is the largest producer of ragi followed by Tamil Nadu.

MAIZE

It is a crop which is used both as food and fodder.

It is a kharif crop which requires temperature between 21°C to 27°C and grows well in old alluvial soil.

Major maize producing states are Karnataka, UP, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.

PULSES
India is the largest producer as well as the consumer of pulses in the world.

These are the major source of protein in vegetation diet.

Major pulses that are grown in India are tur, urad, moong, masur, peas and gram.

Pulses need less moisture and survive even in dry conditions.

Major pulses producing states in India are Madhya Pradesh, UP, Rajasthan Maharashtra and Karnataka.