AGRICULTURE – ITS IMPORTANCE IN INDIA
AGRICULTURE – ITS IMPORTANCE IN INDIA
•Agriculture = man’s management of the environment to produce food.
•Agriculture – practised since ages.
•Net sown area still accounts for about 47% of total cultivable area of India.
•Nearly 2/3rd of Indian population depends on agriculture, directly or indirectly.
•Inspite of industrial development in India, agriculture is still backbone of our country.
•Not only provides food and fodder to human beings and livestock – also source of raw materials for many industries – sugar, textile, edible oil.
•India’s undulating topography, varied climate with sufficient sunshine, ideal temperature and two main growing seasons provide conditions necessary for agricuture .
Agriculture – backbone of our economy
•India is an agricultural economy where 58% of the people depend on agriculture.
•Net sown area still accounts for about 47% of the total cultivable area of India.
•It accounts for about 35% of our national income.
•It provides food for the people and fodder for the animals.
•Agriculture is the main source of raw materials to the agro-based industries.- sugar, textile, edible oil, etc
•Agriculture provides market for many of the finished products.
•Foreign exchange is earned through exports of agriculture-based produce.
•Agriculture, being less capital-intensive, is of great importance as there is less capital for investment in India.
•It helps in better distribution of income and wealth.
Conditions necessary for agriculture-
•India – prominent country from agricultural point of view.
•Its undulating topography
• varied climate with sufficient sunshine
• ideal temperature
•Two main growing seasons
•Improvements in agricultural techniques increases the demand for
•tractors ,
•harvesters,
•threshers,
•chemical fertilizers,
•pesticides, etc
•Industries then are set up to meet the demands.
•Agriculture not only supplies raw materials to the industry, it also acts as a consumer of many industrial products.
•Provides employment to millions of people
•Many agricultural products are exported and export of tea, tobacco, coffee, jute and cotton bring in much needed foreign exchange.
SALIENT FEATURES OF INDIAN AGRICULTURE
1. Dependence on monsoons:
•always dependent on monsoons
- monsoons are unreliable- uncertain and irregular
- large scale irrigation serves only one third of crop area
- remaining has to suffer the vagaries of monsoon.
2. Variety of crops
•India’s vast relief, varying climate and soil conditions produce a variety of crops.
•Both tropical, subtropical and temperate crops like wheat, barley are grown.
3. Preponderance of Food crops
•Has to feed large population
•So preponderance of food crops over other crops in most important feature
•More than 2/3rd of total cropped area is food crops
4. Seasonal Pattern
•India – 3 main crop seasons which are most influenced by the changing season.
a.KHARIF
b.RABI
c.ZAID
A.KHARIF SEASON: ground is prepared in April – May and the seeds are sown in June on arrival of rain.
Harvest – beginning of November
major crops of this season – rice, maize, jowar, bajra, cotton, sesame, groundnut, pulses, jute
B. RABI SEASON: ground is prepared by end of October or beginning of November
harvesting – in March
Major crops – wheat, barley, jowar, gram, oil seeds, tobacco
C. ZAID SEASON: it is summer cropping season – crops sown at the beginning of the hot season in February and March and are harvested in the months of April and May
crops – rice, maize,watermelons, groundnut, vegetables and fruits
Causes for backwardness of Indian Agriculture
•Our farmers still follow old methods of cultivation.
•Illiteracy and conservatism have come in the way of adopting scientific methods of cultivation.
•In many parts of the country farmers are still tenants and have no security of tenancy.
•Uneconomical holdings are a result of our laws of inher[pic]itance, but they adversely effect agriculture.
• Rural indebtedness and non-availability of capital also act as hindrances.
•Defective marketing and low prices have affected farming.
•Over-dependence on monsoons
•Overdependence of monsoon rainfall- erratic rainfall
•Floods and droughts
•Soil erosion
•Small and fragmented land holding: common feature
intensive farming, increasing population, practice of dividing and subdividing land for inheritance – irrigation, wastage of labour, wastage of raised boundaries
•Poor quality of seeds – poor productivity
•Lack of proper use of manure and Fertilizer
•Reluctant to use modern scientific methods of cultivation
•Most farmers do not own the land- belongs to absentee landlords who are indifferent to land improvements
•Pests and diseases – no protection – farmers should be educated
•Traditional upbringing – most farmers do not believe in change – stick to old method of farming – very little improvement
•Excessive pressure on land
•Low yield – average yield of crops is lower than other countries
•Unsound credit system and poverty of the farmers.
SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEMS
IRRIGATION
[pic]
• depend on rain – so backward.
• Different measures to overcome this.
• Different types of irrigation-wells, tanks, canals are built and developed. [pic]
• After Independence, government taken these steps.
• has advanced loans to our farmers to improve irrigation facilities.
Multi-purpose river valley projects
[pic]* during Five-Year Plans, many multi-purpose river valley projects were constructed to benefit agriculture.
IRRIGATION
[pic]
CANALS
[pic]
DESILTING
Desilting of tanks is being carried out regularly.
[pic]
desilting
[pic]
2.Consolidation of Holdings
•To overcome sub-division & fragmentation of holdings is being adopted.
•Either by exchange or purchase of lands, by the side of one of the existing holdings, a large area is created.
•Thereafter farmers get medium term & long term loans from Land Devp Bank or Apex banks for permanent land devp.
3. Soil conservation
Top layer is eroded due to: [pic]
•Deforestaion
•Floods
•Indian Soil conservation Board is set up.
•Contour ploughing, afforestation, construction of bunds,crop rotation are taken
•Use of right type of fertilizers for different soils
•Soil testing centres are opened to test soil and suggest right type of soil for various crops.
Modernisation of Agriculture
•Abolition of Zamindari & landlordism – ceiling of landholdigsis fixed.
•Consolidation of holdings is undertaken.
•Govt offers support price for some agricultural products. Govt is prepared to buy the agricultural products at the price fixed by it.
•Contour ploughing is adopted. [pic]
•Ploughing of the land is carried on across the slopes.
•Proper bunds are constructed.
•Thus soil is conserved and wastage of water is prevented.
[pic]
Dry land farming techniques are adopted & crops are grown through drip irrigation.
[pic]
Use of machinery & implements-proper training is given to use them-
[pic]
Started centres to carry out mechanization of agriculture.
Training on – right use of irrigation, machines, irrigation, hybrid seeds, modern techniques.
Suratgarh in Rajashthan – state mechanized farm
Agricultural universities also give training.
Intensive farming – to maximise production-package programme-all facilities are given-irrigation, hybrid seeds, soil conservation, right type of fertilizer, use of pesticides,etc are provided.
[pic]
To encourage farmers to grow more, govt offers support price for some agricultural products. Govt is prepared to buy agricultural products at the price fixed by it.
Sprinkler & drip irrigation facilities are developed. Under [pic]drip irrigation, water is allowed to flow through pipes which have small holes & they are laid above the plants & water is provided drop by drop. – saves water, retains fertility of soil.
•Sprinklers are used in coffee and tea plantations.
•Same advantage as drip irrigation.
SCIENTIFIC FARMING
•Agricultural methods determine the progress of agriculture.
•Must use scientific methods.
•Application of science & technology in agriculture is called Scientific farming.
It includes:
•Soil conservation
•Irrigation
•Use of chemical fertilizers
•Use of pesticides for plant protection
•Use of high yielding variety of seeds
•Mechanization of agriculture
•Adoption of sprinklers & drip irrigation
•Central govt has started ‘THE INDIAN COUNCIL OF AGRICULTURE AND RESEARCH” (ICAR)
•Every state has Agricultural University- produce more and more graduates
•National Seed Corporation- to produce & distribute improved seeds.
•Farmers are enlightened regarding the use chemical fertilizers, production of chemical fertilizers has increased.
•Use of farm machinery- tractors, tillers, harvesters
•Minor, medium and major irrigation works devpd
GREEN REVOLUTION – during Fourth Five Year Plan period
•Means to quick up trend change in agricultural production.
•Able to export some of the food grains to other countries.
•Under the INTENSIVE AGRICULTURE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (IADP), several measures were adopted
•AIMED at transforming the agriculture sector and increase the food crop production to meet the increasing demand
•Effort began in 1960
•Introduced in 1967-68
•Sponsored by INDIAN COUNCIL OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH (ICAR) and an eminent agricultural agronomist, NORMAN BORLAUG
•MEASURES ADOPTED:
1.Use of high yielding varieties (HYV) of seeds
2.Irrigation
3.Use of insecticides, pesticides
4.Consolidation of holdings
5.Land reforms
6.Rural electrification
7.Improved rural infrastructure
8.Supply of agricultural credit
9.Use of (chemicals) fertilizers
10.Opening of agricultural universities
•Led to remarkable increase in productivity
•Made India self-sufficient in food production
•By 94-95 food production of food grains increased 4 times
•Most remarkable in Punjab, Haryana, U.P.
LAND REFORMS:-
•Many problems regarding land holdings •Many steps are taken to overcome them. They are called land reforms. Important reforms are:
•ABOLITION OF ZAMINDARI SYSTEM:Before independence, 40% of the land was under Zamindars and it was a hindrance to our country’s progress. Farmers had no right on the lands they cultivated. This was affecting agriculture adversely. To correct this and to make tillers the owners of the land, Zamindari system was abolished.
TENANCY REFORMS:-
•Tenants of land holdings faced 3 types of problems.
1.High rent of the tenancy lands
2.Lack of security and time the owner could ask the tenant to vacate the tenancy
3.The tenant could not become the owner of the land which he was cultivating.
-Agriculture was backward. – many tenants lost their tenancy became landless labourers.
-After independence laws were passed to confirm ownership to the tiller under ‘TILLER IS THE OWNER OF THE LAND’.
Ceiling on land holdings:-
•Under the Zamindari system one could own any amount of land. This had created inequality and hardship to the farmers. To overcome this and achieve a fair distribution of land, maximum area of land , which a farmer can own is fixed. It has resulted in fair distribution of land among the farmers & many have become the owners of the land.
• The maximum limits on land holdings in Karnataka are :-
•fully irrigated land 4 to 8 hectares
•partly irrigated land 8 to 12 hectares
•dry land 21.85 hectares
Creation of economic holdings
•An economic holding is one which allows the farmer a chance of earning sufficient income to support himself and his family in reasonable comfort after paying necessary cultivation expenses.
Progress of co-operative farming:-
•The farmers form co-operative societies for the purpose of cultivation.
•All the land is brought together & management is vested in the co-operative society.
•All the farmers work in the farm for which they get their wages
•At the end, after setting a portion of profit for permanent land improvement, the proceeds are shared among the farmers.
•Punjab has made progress in this regard.
Agricultural Labour & its welfare
•Agricultural labour = workers who work in farms for wages of small cultivators who own very small holdings and work in the fields of other people.
•Their problems are:
•Low wages
•Bonded labourers
•Engaged in agricultural work only for a few months
•Weak and illiterate
•Not specialised or not skilled in any one particular work.
Some of the measures taken to improve the living conditions of the agricultural labourers are:
•Abolition of bonded labour
•Fixation of minimum wages
•Creation of employment opportunities during non-agricultural seasons
•distribution of free houses and house sites
•distribution of surplus land acquired through land reforms
•Starting industries in rural areas
•loans at low rate of interests, etc
TYPES OF FARMING
•INDIA – vast country – various climatic patterns and geographical conditions
•So different types of farming
•TYPES OF FARMING:
1.SUBSISTENCE FARMING:
a. Intensive subsistence farming
b. Primitive subsistence farming
MERCIAL FARMING:
a. Extensive commercial farming
b. Plantation farming
c. Mixed farming
SUBSISTENCE FARMING
•FARMERS producing exclusively for his own consumption.
•There is no surplus left for sale
•In India, agriculture is still of the subsistence type.
•This involves cultivations of food crops like rice, wheat, and pulses.
•As farmer and his family consume the entire farm produce, there is no surplus production to sell in the market.
•Main features:
a.Land holdings are small and scattered
b.Farmers use traditional methods of agriculture
c.Output is not very high and it is consumed within the family
d.There is never surplus for the market
INTENSIVE SUBSISTENCE FARMING:-
•Practised chiefly in overpopulated ‘land-hungry regions of South Asia especially India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Myanmar
•This type practised in the irrigated areas of the plains of the northern India and the coastal areas of South India
•Very small size holdings due to laws of inheritance and population pressure
•Farming done intensively to get maximum yield
•More than one crop is cultivated -Double cropping, crop rotation and multiple cropping are practised
• labour intensive -Human and animal labour
•To increase the output, rich manure and fertilizers, good quality seeds and irrigation facilities are used.
•Agriculture is dominated by wet paddy cultivation though wheat, millets, pulses, jute, sugarcane, oilseeds and cotton are also grown
PRIMITIVE SUBSISTENCE FARMING:-
•Called Jhumming or Shifting agriculture – takes place in for[pic]est areas where in some parts, trees are cut and burnt and agriculture is carried on.
•After growing and reaping the crops for a few years, the land loses its fertility and farmer shifts agriculture to some other place.
•Shifting cultivation results in soil erosion & gives low yield.
•SLASH & BURN AGRICULTURE: involves burning the area to clear off the forest and finally unburnt trees are hacked out or left to decay naturally
•Practised in the bacward areas by tribal people who ha[pic]ve no knowledge of scientific or environment ways of farming.
•Primitive tools are used
•Few crops like cassava, manioc, yarns, tapioca, millets, upland rice and bananas are grown
•Crops are left to grow on their own and no irrigation or fertilisation is provided
•Not environmentally friendly method due to deforestation and burning increases the level of greenhouse gases
Shifting cultivation ( jhum) is traditional among the hill peoples of Arunachal Pradesh; rice, corn (maize), millet, and buckwheat are among the chief crops grown by this method. Millet and rice beer are popular, as is tea. Some tribes supplement their diet by hunting, fishing, and gathering forest ...
COMMERCIAL FARMING:
•Is a system of agriculture in which food crops are pro[pic]duced specifically for sale in the market, by using improved variety of seeds and machinery.
•Normally it is characterised by large farms and only one crop is grown
•The nature of land, soil, irrigation facilities and climate are suitable for that crop.
•Machinery, chemical fertilizers, hybrid seeds and pesticides are used
•Important crops grown under commercial farming in India are cotton, sugarcane, tobacco, chillies, oil seeds, etc
•This kind of farming may be INTENSIVE OR EXTENSIVE
1. INTENSIVE COMMERCIAL FARMING
•SIZE OF HOLDINGS are small due to fragmentation
•MAXIMUM YIELD is produced with the help of irrigation, fertilizers, scientific farming and use of hybrid seeds, e.g. Punjab, Haryana
•MAXIMUM CAPITAL, labour and skill is involved for making a small area productive.
•Food crops predominate though cash crops like cotton, sugarcane and tobacco are also included
•Is practised in countries where the population pressure reduces the size of the landholdings
•Practised mainly in the river valleys and deltas
•Main features:
a.Small farms are intensively used
b.More than one crop is cultivated on the same field
c.To increase the output, rich manure and fetilizers, good quality of seeds and irrigation facilities are used
d.Labour intensive system
2. EXTENSIVE COMMERCIAL FARMING
•Practised mainly in sparsely populated areas – land is available for cultivation
•Single crop cultivation predominates, like wheat, corn or barley
•Yield per acre is much less than yield per man as pressure of population on land is less
•This type of farming is more akin to temperate lands like prairies and steppes and not South Asia
•Products are raised for the sole purpose of sale in the market. (domestic or international)
•Mechanisation in farming is a unique feature with the absence of human and animal labour
•Capital intensive
•Crops grown – sugarcane, rice, wheat
•Main features:
a.Farms are huge in size
b.Machines are used
c.Farmer specializes in one or two major commercial crops
d.Capital intensive
e.Crop yield is high, with large surpluses for sale
MIXED FARMING
•Is raising of crops and rearing of cattle, poultry, bee keeping, sericulture, etc on the same land.
•Cattle or poultry do not need extra expe
expenditure as they thrive on the farm w[pic]astes
•Livestock animals provide substitute income when crops are not ready
•Practised in densely populated areas
•This type of farming is practised very widely in India.
•Main characteristics of this farming are:
a)Different variety of crops are grown-two or three crops are grown together
b)Scientific methods of agriculture are followed- modern machinery, good seeds, fertilisers are used to increase the yield
c)Sufficient capital is required
d)Crops and animals are raised simultaneously
e)Rotation of crops is practised
f)Ensures steady income to the farmers.
PLANTATION FARMING
•Predominance of a single crop farming in tropical regions is called plantation farming. (single cash crops)
•Located in a tropical or sub-tropical environment
•Important crops grown under this type of farming are coffee, tea,[pic] rubber, spices, coconuts, arecanuts, beetle leaves, etc
•Consists of large estates for farming about 100 accres each, though small holdings are also common in Kerala and Srilanka
•Estates are scientifically managed. Crop cultivation, harvesting, processing in factories to be ready for market is done in the same farm
•Crops are raised only for sale
•Introduced by British in the 19th century
•Involves large number of labourers
•Requires huge capital outlay
•One crop is cultivated using modern scientific methods
•Chemical fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides are used extensively
•Latest knowledge and modern methods of agriculture are used
MONOCULTURE (SINGLE CROP PLANTATION )
It refers to agricultural practice in which only one crop is grown in the whole plantation period.
•Eg. Tea, rubber plantations
DRY FARMING
•Practised in areas where facilities for irrigation are lacking and crops grown can withstand dry conditions.
•Fields are repeatedly ploughed before and during the rains to preserve soil moisture
•Practise regular weeding along with the construction of dykes and wells around fields
•Cultivation is sown only once during a year
•Practised in Western Rajasthan and in some parts of the Deccan
•Grow short-maturing and drought resistant crops like pulses, millets (including jowar, bajra, and ragi)
•The production also earns foreign exchange
•Provides all the facilities for labourers, and workers by way of providing accomodation, schools, buses, hospitals, market places, and other amentities
•Practised in Assam, W. Bengal, Tamilnadu, Kerala
•Vegetables, fruits, flowers are also grown on large scale under this type of farming.
•In short, large capital, vast extensive estates, managerial ability, technical know-how, sophisticated farm machinery, fertilizers, good transport facilities, etc are the main features
REVISION
1.In subsistence agriculture farmers grow crops just to maintain their family.
2.Jhumming, carried out in hilly regions of North-East India, is a type of shifting agriculture.
3.Mixed farming includes some other subsidiary occupation as poultry farming, cattle rearing etc
4.Plantation farming involves large number of labourers like managerial labour, daily wage labourers.
1.What is meant by the term ‘agriculture’?
The use of land in order to grow crops and rear livestock is called agriculture.
2. How does shifting cultivation create problems?
Shifting cultivation is done by the ‘Slash-and-burn’ method which leads to the destruction of valuable forests and affects the eco-system severely.
3. What is meant by monoculture?
The type of agriculture in which only one crop is gown in the whole plantation period is known as monoculture. Examples: rubber and tea plantation
4. What is meant by ‘subsistence agriculture’?
The type of agriculture in which the farmer grows a variety of crops only to maintain his family.
5. How has become agriculture a consumer of industrial products?
Use of modern technology in the agriculture, it has been created the demand for industrial products such as tractors, threshers, pesticides, fertilizers, etc. That is why agriculture is gradually becoming a considerable consumer of various industrial products.
6. What is known as the zaid season?The season in which the farmers grow an extra crop such as seasonal fruits and vegetables is known as the Zaid season. These are the months of April, May and June respectively
QUESTION: In the context of agriculture in India, answer the following questions:
a)How do the monsoons affect cultivation in India?
b)What solutions are offered against irregular monsoons as far as farming is concerned?
Ans. A)A major part of the cultivated lands in India is still dependent on monsoon rains which are uncertain , irregular, and unevenly distributed. Sometimes crops get destroyed due to scanty rainfall and sometimes floods caused due to heavy rainfall bring destruction to the crops.
b) Different solutions are offered against irregular monsoons which are as follows:
* Irrigation facilities are provided in many areas by constructing canals.
* Several dams have been constructed to check floods.
* Recently, the Government of India is planning to interconnect the rivers of India in order to divert the water of flooded river to the water starved river.
QUESTION: What is the importance of agriculture in India? Or Why is agriculture said to be the backbone of the Indian economy?
India is basically an agricultural country. Majority of its people are dependent on agriculture. India’s rural economy is still based on agriculture and agro-based industries. Agro-based industries include cotton textiles, tobacco, jute, sugar, etc.
India earn a substantial foreign exchange by the export of agricultural commodities like cotton, tea, cashewnuts, spices, oilseeds, etc to the industrialised country.
QUESTION: Where is shifting cultivation is practised in India?
•In India shifting cultivation is practised in some hilly regions of North-east India and in the Himalayan region. These regions include hilly slopes in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Nagaland.
QUESTION: Mention problems faced by the farmers on account of small land holdings. Or What is farm fragmentation? How does it affect agriculture?
•Owing to small land holdings the farmers face following problems:
i.Farmers are not interested in improving the land, to make it more fertile.
ii.They are not willing to use new method of new technology in such a small land.
iii.Being small and marginal farmers, they are not in position to use expansive high yielding seeds and agricultural machines on their small holdings.
QUESTION: What are rabi and kharif crops? Give example.
•Rabi crops are sown at the beginning of the winter seasons, i.e. in October-November and harvested between February and May.
•On the other hand Kharif crops are sown at the beginning of the monsoon rains, i.e. June-July and harvested after the monsoon season, i.e., in October-November.
QUESTION: What is meant by ‘transplantation’? State its advantages?
•The process in which plants are allowed to grow for a few weeks, then they are uprooted by hand and again planted in another field, is called ‘transplantation’.
•By the method of transplantation, the yield is increased by 45%. Also, water is used economically.
QUESTION: Distinguish between Humid Farming and Irrigated Farming. HUMID FARMING
IRRIGATED FARMING
Humid farming is practised in the areas with sufficient rainfall.
Irrigated farming is done in the areas with scanty rainfall.
Crops are cultivated without the help of irrigation.
Crops are cultivated with the help of irrigation.
AGRICULTURE IN INDIA –FOOD CROPS
•Indian agriculture – dominated by food crops which occupy 65% of the total cropped area of the country
•Contribute about 50% of the total value of agricultural production
•Grown throughout the country either as a sole crop or in combination with other crops.
CEREALS
•‘Cereals’ is a collective term for all kinds of grass-like plants, which have starchy, edible seeds.
•Most common cereals include rice, wheat, maize or corn, barley, rye, oats, millets and sorghum.
•Because of their easy cultivation, and their high nutritional value, they have formed the basic diet of mankind since the dawn of history.
•Often referred to as ‘the Staff of Life’.
RICE
[pic]
•Rice is a grain belonging to the grass family. It is related to other grass plants such as wheat, oats and barley which produce grain for food and are known as cereals. Rice refers to two species (Oryza sativa and Oryza glaberrima) of grass, native to tropical and subtropical southeastern Asia and to Africa, which together provide more than one-fifth of the calories consumed by humans. The plant, which needs both warmth and moisture to grow, measures 2-6 feet tall and has long, flat, pointy leaves and stalk-bearing flowers which produce the grain known as rice. Rice is rich in genetic diversity, with thousands of varieties grown throughout the world. Throughout history rice has been one of man's most important foods. Today, this unique grain helps sustain two-thirds of the world's population. It is life for thousands of millions of people. It is deeply embedded in the cultural heritage of their societies. About four-fifths of the world's rice is produced by small-scale farmers and is consumed locally. Rice cultivation is the principal activity and source of income for about 100 million households in Asia and Africa.
So, rice is:
•Most important crop of India
•Supports half of the Indian population
•Staple food of people living in northeast & southern part of India
•Tropical as well as sub-tropical crop
•Versatile crop & can be grown in different parts of India
•Can be grown on different altitudes from the hill terrace of Kashmir to lowland areas of Kerala in South India
•As it can be grown under varying conditions, it has given rise to a large number of varieties, differing in quality
•Around 10,000 varieties of rice in world out of which about 4,000 types are grown in India
Rice Soils of India
•Rice is grown in many regions across India. India[pic] alone has about 45 million hectares of area, and it produces on an average 93 million metric tons of rice since 2001 onwards. Rice cultivation has been carried into all regions having the necessary warmth and abundant moisture favorable to its growth, mainly subtropical rather than hot or cold.In India, rice is grown in different types of soils. Experts point out that in India, rice is grown in such varied soil conditions that it is difficult to point out the soil on which it cannot be grown. However, soils having
•Good water retention capacity.
•Good amount of clay and organic matter are considered ideal for rice cultivation.
TYPES/VARIETIES OF RICE:-
•RICE – kharif crop in north India
•In south, it can be grown throughout the year if irrigation is possible
•3 types of rice grown in different parts of India
1. WET OR LOWLAND RICE:
•Rice grown in well watered lowland plain areas is called wet or lowland rice
•Grown on low-lying regions
•Sown in June and harvested in October
•Requires plenty of water during the sowing and harvesting period
•The produce is used for local consumption as well as supplied to other regions
•Most of the rice grown in India belongs to the lowland variety
2. TERRACED CULTIVATION:
•Cultivation in which the hill slopes are cut into terraces
3. DRY OR UPLAND RICE:
•The supply of water to hilly regions is not as much as on the plains, hence the rice grown in these hilly regions is called dry or upland rice
•Grown on mountainous/hilly regions
•Upland rice is sown in March-April and harvested in Sept-Oct
•This type of rice cultivation depends on the distribution of rainfall only
•Entire crop is used locally
•Q. write a short note on upland rice.
GEOGRAPHICAL REQUIREMENTS:
•Requires a mean annual temperature of 24 degree C with a range of 16 degree C to 32 degree C temperatures with about 16 degree C to 20 degree C during the growing season and 18 degree C to 32 degree C at the ripening stage. Needs plenty of sunshine
•Rainfall – 150cm to 300 cm , but much less is required if irrigation is available- needs flooded fields during the earlier part of its growing season – slight rain before ripening helps in increasing the size of the grain
•Soil – must consist of alluvial friable loams with claylike impervious subsoil. Such soils permit stagnation of water in the fields during the period of cultivation – soils need manure and fertilisers to produce a higher yield[pic]
Cheap, plentiful labour is necessary as most of the work is done by hand.
To sum up, its geographical requirements, the rice crop needs plenty of sunshine, heavy rainfall or irrigated deep alluvial clayey soil and plenty of labour to work on the fields, as most of the farming involves manual labour.
•Therefore the monsoon lands aere best suited for rice production or heavy irrigation is required
•Deltas, estuaries, floodplains, valleys of rivers and coastal plains with heavy soils provide excellent conditions for the cultivation of rice.
METHODS OF RICE CULTIVATION:
•The systems of rice cultivation in various rice-growing areas of the country are largely dependent upon the rice-growing conditions prevalent in the respective regions.
•The method of cultivation of rice in a particular region depends largely on factors such as situation of land, type of soils, irrigation facilities, availability of labourers intensity and distribution of rainfalls.
1. BROADCASTING METHOD:-
•this method involves sowing the seeds by sprinkling them all over the field by hand.
•Prevalent in those regions where labour is scarce and soil is infertile
•This is done before the onset of monsoon.
• This method is generally used to sow inferior quality of seeds, hence yield is low.
[pic]
[pic]
2. DIBBLING:
•A dibble is an implement for making holes in the ground for seeds or plants
•In this method seeds are dropped at regular intervals in the furrows made by the farmers with the help of a plough
[pic]
3. DRILLING METHOD;
•While using the plough, seeds are dropped through a bamboo shaft attached to it, in the furrows made by the plough in a straight line.
•Advantage – seeds fall in the furrows in a systematic way.
•This method, though saving wastage of seeds , is very time consuming
•Mostly used in Tamil Nadu in peninsular India
•Sometime seeds are soaked in water for a few hours before sowing. It helps in quick germination especially where the soil is not moist enough
4. TRANSPLANTING:
•This method is practiced in the areas of fertile soil, abundant rainfall, plenty of sunshine and plenty of supply of labour
•In this method, seeds are first sown in nurseries after soaking them in water for 24 hours
•After 4 weeks when the seedlings are about 20cm tall, the[pic]y are uprooted and are planted in the flooded fields so that they can grow again.
•As this entire process is done by hand, a lot of manual labour is required. [pic]•It gives a higher yield
•Advantages of Transplantation:
1.Lot of labour is required which is easily available
2.When re-sowing the seeds are removed
3.There is less wastage of seeds as in broadcasting
5. JAPANESE METHOD OF CULTIVATION:
•This method includes:
i.The use of less, but good quality seeds
ii.Sowing the seeds in raised nursery beds
iii.Transplanting the seedlings in rows to make weeding and fertilizing easy
iv.Involves much use of manure to obtain higher yield
v.Ensures three times higher yields, hence it has been successfully adopted by many rice cultivation regions in Asia.
The cultivation of rice begins by planting water-soaked seeds in a properly prepared bed. Oftentimes, the seedlings are transplanted to the paddy when they reach a certain size. When the grains begin to ripen, the water is drained from the fields. Harvesting begins when the grain yellow and the plants start to droop. Depending on the size of the operation and the amount of mechanization, rice is either harvested by hand or machine. Once harvested, the rice is usually dried in the fields with the help of sunshine
•In most of the regions of India, rice is grown twice or thrice, but in hilly regions only one crop is grown because of severe weather conditions.
•In northeast India, the primitive method of Jhooming (slash and burn) used to be practised for growing rice. But this method is wasteful and causes a lot of damage to soil, hence it is now forbidden
HARVESTING:- [pic]
•Harvesting is done by hand
•The cut-crop is left in the field to dry for a period of about 3-4 days
•After that it is threshed and trampled by bullocks to separate the kernel from the seed – in some rural areas the sheaves are beaten against the bars across rounded wooden tubs so that the grain falls into the tub.
WINNOWING: is a process of removing the unwanted husk from the grains. It involves pouring the grains from a height on a windy day when the grains from a height on a windy day when the grains fall to the ground and the chaff is blown aside
•The rice is then sent for polishing. By polishing, the rice may look better, but important nutrients are lost in the process
•Hand pounded rice is thus considered better and more nutrious
[pic]
DISTRIBUTION:-
•T.N. – produces 15% of total rice grown in India – largest producer of rice in India
•W. Bengal – second largest producer – harvesting 3 crops per year – in autumn, winter and summer
•Andhra Pradesh – 3rd rice producing state of the country
•Punjab – 4th rice producing at the moment- here 97% of the rice area is irrigated and due to higher input of High Yielding Variety seeds, fertilizers, mechanisation and finance per hectare yield is the highest
•Other rice growing areas – Bihar, Jharkand, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Karnataka, Assam, Maharasthra, Keral.
•Lesser producing states – Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Chhatisgarh, Gujarat and the Kashmir Valley
[pic]
Dry or Semi-Dry Upland Cultivation
•The dry and semi-dry systems of cultivation are mainly confined to tracts which depend on rains and do not have supplementary irrigation facilities. The fields are ploughed and harrowed in summer for achieving the required-tilth. Farmyard manure is uniformly distributed 2-3 weeks before sowing. The seed is sown directly with the onset of the monsoon showers, either by
•Broadcasting the seed
•Sowing the seed behind the plough or drilling
•Line-sowing is preferable, as it ensures an adequate stand establishment and facilitates easy weeding and interculture. The reduced seed-rate requirement is another advantage. The row spacing may be suitably adjusted from 20 to 25 cm. Under the semi-dry system, the rain-water is impounded when the crop is about 1½-2 months old and thereafter it is converted into a wetland crop.By that time, major operations, such as weeding, interculturing and fertilizer application might have been completed. 'Beushening' still prevalent in Orissa and Madhya Pradesh under this system helps to control weeds and adjust population. The latest thinking is to promote line-sowing using a higher seed-rate so as to have a uniformly higher population density for effective competition from weeds and to use effective methods of interculture to solve the weed problem.
Wet or Lowland Cultivation
•The wet system is practiced in areas with assured and adequate supply of water, either by way of rainfall or by irrigation.In Wet or Lowland Cultivation, the distinguishing factors are :
•Transplanting in puddled fields
•Broadcasting sprouted seeds in puddled fields
•Under Wet or Lowland Cultivation, the land is ploughed thoroughly and puddled with 3-5 cm of standing water in the field. The optimum depth of puddling is found to be around 10 cm in the clay and clay-loam types of soils. The primary objective is to obtain a soft seedbed fo[pic]r the seedlings to establish themselves faster, to minimize the leaching losses of nutrients and thereby increase the availability of plant nutrients by achieving a reduced soil conditions which facilitates a better availability of nutrient elements, to incorporate the weeds and stubble into the soil and to minimize the weed problem. Puddling can be done with ploughs, tillers or tractors, depending upon their availability and soil conditions. The land is leveled after puddling to facilitate a uniform distribution of water and fertilizers.
1.What do you understand by dry farming?
The type of farming is being done in areas with scanty rainfalls and poor irrigation facilities is called dry farming.
2. What improved method of cultivation can help raise rice production in India?
The Japanese method of cultivation can help to raise the rice production in India.
3. Why are the flat low lands most suitable for rice cultivation? Or State the advantages of growing rice on low lands.
Since the cultivation of rice requires a lot of irrigation and a stagnant storage of water at its initiation. The flat low lands prevent water from draining away. Therefore, flat lowlands are most suitable for rice cultivation.
4. Name one area where rice is grown under ‘Jhumming’ method. Or name an area in India where rice is grown under ‘shifting cultivation’.
In North-East India, rice is grown under ‘Jhumming’ method.
5. State 3 methods of growin rice.
i)Drilling ii) Broadcasting iii) Dibbling
6. Name three leading rice-producing states.
West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu
7. What kind of soil is best suited for growing rice in India?
Rice thrives best on alluvial soil with a sub-soil of impervious clay and also in heavy loam.
8. Name a state in south India where rice is grown extensively?
Tamil Nadu
MORE QUESTIONS:
1. Why are yields in the Japanese method or rice cultivation higher than in other methods? Or Which is the latest method of rice cultivation and what are its advantages?
The yields of rice in the Japanese method of cultivation are higher than in other methods because of the following reasons:
i) The use of better quality seeds
ii) Seed are sown in raised nurseries
iii) Proper irrigation facilities are provided
iv) Transplanting is done in rows in suitable distances
v) Use of good quality fertilizers at the proper stage of growth.
vi) Heavy manuring of the crop both in the nursery and in the field.
vii) It gives three times higher yield.
2. With reference to rice, answer the following questions:a) What are the advantages of growing rice in nurseries?B) When is transplantation done and why is it popular?
a)The advantages of growing rice in nurseries are that the seed beds are well prepared and the surplus water can be drained out.
b)Transplantation is done about 5 or 6 weeks after the sowing of seeds..
Transplantation is popular since it increases the yields by about 45% and there is economical use of water.
3. Distinguish between Transplantation Method and the Japanese method of Rice Farming.
TRANSPLANTATION METHOD
JAPANESE METHOD
In transplantation method, first the seeds are sown in small and well prepared plots whereas in Japanese method, first the seeds are sown in already enriched and well-drained nursery beds.
In transplantation method, about 15 cm high sapplings are transplanted at regular intervals in another fields whereas in Japnese method, about 15cm to 20 cm high sapplings are transplanted in rows in another field.
In transplantation method, harvesting is carried out when ears are nearly ripe whereas in Japnese method, top-dressing with nitrogenous fertilizers is done before flowering of the plants.
4. State the conditions of soil and climate suitable for the cultivation of rice or What are the geographical conditions suitable for the cultivation of rice?
•Condition essential for cultivation of rice:
SOIL: Rice grows on alluvial soil with a sub-soil of impervious clay. It also grows well in heavy loam but sandy soil is not suitable for the cultivation of rice. The imperious sub-soil layer prevents water from draining away. Terraced hill-slopes are also suitable for the cultivation of rice.
CLIMATE: Rice requires abundant water for its growth. It can grow in areas where rainfall occurs between a range of 150 cm to 300 cm or there is proper irrigation facility. The farms need to be flooded during the first two weeks.
Rice also needs warm temperature for its proper growth which ranges between 16 degree C and 20 degree C during early stages and between 18 degree C during the ripening stage.
5. Name the state where rice is grown almost exclusively as a cash crop. What makes rice the staple food crop of India?
•Rice is grown as a cash crop in Punjab or Haryana. The reason that rice has become the staple food crop is, it is the leading cereal and has the advantage that it can be grown from Kashmir to Kerala due toits tropical climate. It is most widely grown crop and very easy to cultivate.
WHEAT (RABI CROP)
[pic]
•Important food grain in India
•Staple food of millions of India – north and north-west parts of the country
•Rich in proteins, vitamins and carbohydrates and provides a balanced diet
•4th largest producer after Russia, USA, China
•Accounts 8.7% of world’s total production of wheat
•The cereal grass that has played a formative in the unfolding of india's history. Its importance can be gauged by the sustenance that it has provided to countless Indians in the past.
•Wheat cultivation has traditionally been dominated by the n[pic]orthern region of India. The northern states of Punjab and Haryana Plains in India have been prolific wheat producers.
•While this cereal grass has been studies carefully in the past, recent years of painstaking research by India's finest scientific talent has paid off with the development of distinctly superior varieties of Durum Wheat.
•hard wheat is cultivated in clayey soil and is highly sought after for its physical characteristics.
•Its high gluten strength and uniform golden colour makes it ideal for bread making and pasta preparation unlike the softer commercially high yielding wheat, which lacks the strength and consistency of durum.
•Today, India is exporting sufficient quantities of all types of wheat and extensive research efforts are underway for improving its cereals and grain output in the years to come.
•In the realm of food crops in the world, wheat (Triticum spp.) occupies the number one position. •India is one of the principal wheat producing and consuming countries in the world.
•Its importance in Indian agriculture is second to only rice.
•Wheat flour based products, such as the chapati, are part of the staple diet in most parts of India - particularly in northern India.
•Wheat straw is also used for feeding cattle.
•The Green Revolution, which was initiated in the country in the late 1960s, has had a very significant effect in increasing the yield of wheat.
•At present Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana are the three major wheat producing states. They account for nearly 70 per cent of the total wheat produced in the country.
•Though Uttar Pradesh has the highest production In India, it lags behind Punjab and Haryana in terms of yield. Better irrigation facilities in these states are responsible for higher yield.
•In Haryana, 98 per cent of the area under wheat is irrigated and in Punjab the ratio is 96 per cent.
•Wheat output in non-traditional states is also being popularised by improving irrigation facilities and developing seeds suitable for cultivation in these regions.
•This hard wheat is cultivated in clayey soil and is highly sought after for its physical characteristics. Its high gluten strength and uniform golden colour makes it ideal for bread making and pasta preparation unlike the softer commercially high yielding wheat, which lacks the strength and consistency of durum.
•Today, India is exporting sufficient quantities of all types of wheat and extensive research efforts are underway for improving its cereals and grain output in the years to come.
•With a production reaching ten times in past five years, India is today the second largest wheat producer in the whole world. India has the largest area in the world under wheat.· India produces about 65-75 million tons of wheat a year, which is about 35% of India's total food grain production of 210-212 million tons. · Since wheat and rice are grown in separate seasons, they do not compete for area. · Indian wheat is largely soft/medium hard, medium protein, bread wheat. India also produces around 1.5 million tons of durum wheat, mostly in central and western India, which is not segregated and marketed separately.
•Temperate crop - grown in winter and harvested in March/April – hence rabi crop
•Grows well on level plains, especially if the farming is mechanised
•In India, it is mainly grown in flat alluvial plains of north India.
TYPES/VARIETIES:-
•On the basis of geographical variations, two varieties of wheat are grown:
a.THE NORMAL BREED VARIETY: - is grown on irrigated lands where the soil is friable loam and clayey in nature – mostly grown in Punjab, Haryana, UP
b.HARDER VARIETY, MACARONI WHEAT: - grows well on clayey black soil in areas of high rainfall. – grown in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and western Andhra Pradesh
SEASON:
•Wheat is a rabi crop, grown in the winter season.
•Sowing of wheat takes place in October to December and harvesting is during February to May.
•The Indo-Gangetic plains in India is the most conducive area in India for growing wheat.
•The cool winters and the hot summer are the perfect condition for a good wheat crop.
SOIL AND SEED:-
•Well-drained, fertlie loams and clayey loams are considered to be ideal for wheat.
•Good crops of wheat have also been raised on sandy loams and the black soils.
•Mostly grown in Indo-Gangetic Plain
•Wheat is sown in winter immediately after rains, hence it is easy to prepare fields for sowing
•Deep soil provides much needed moisture to the wheat plants in early stages.
•Wheat also grown in black cotton soil in areas of Madhya Pradesh & Maharashtra – needs a lot of fertilizer to supplement the deficiency
• The seed used for sowing should have good germination capacity and should be healthy and free from seed borne diseases and seeds of weeds. Experts suggest sowing of certified obtained from a reliable seed agency.
CLIMATIC REQUIREMENTS:-
•TEMPERATURE
üIs a crop of mid-latitudes (temperate regions)and requires a cool climate with moderate rainfall
üNeeds an average temperature between 10 degree C to 15 degree C at the time of sowing
üAs harvesting time approaches higher temperatures are required to help ripening. – but sudden rise of temperature is harmful
üIn India, winter temperature of north India provides more favourable conditions
üIn south and north-east, temperature conditions are above 20 degree C even in winter, hence wheat cannot be grown there
•Therefore it requires a combination of factors-
i)Cool climate with moderate rainfall
ii)Flat and well drained plain areas
iii)Fertile friable clayey loams
iv)Heavy inputs in the form of irrigation if required
v)High yielding variety seeds
vi)Good quality manure
vii)If possible, mechanised farming
RAINFALL:-
•Needs 50 to 100 cm rainfall during growing season – too much rainfall harmful and too little parches the grain
•Irrigation is necessary where there is less than 50 cm of rainfall
•A little winter rain before ripening is ideal and helps in increasing the yield
•Frost at flowering time and hail storm at the time of ripening can cause heavy damage to the wheat crop
METHODS OF CULTIVATION:-
•For good and uniform germination, the wheat crop requires a well pulverised but compact seedbed
•Field is prepared by end of November and crops are harvested in March. Since the sowing is done following the rainy season, there is enough moisture in the soil to help it to grow in early stages
•It is also essential to do timely cultivation and conserve moisture.
•Seeds are sown by broadcasting, dibbling and drilling methods.
•Low temperature in Oct/Nov & winter rains by the westerly depressions are helpful for its growth
HARVESTING:-
[pic]
•The wheat crop is harvested when the grains harden and the straw becomes dry and brittle.
• The harvesting time varies from zone to zone and also depends whether the wheat is under irrigated or rainfed conditions.
•The rainfed crop reaches harvesting stage much earlier than the irrigated crop.
•However, the yields under the rainfed crops are much lower compared to the irrigated crop.
•Harvested before summer heat begins in March and g[pic]rain hardens and straw becomes brittle
•Harvesting done by sickle and now by machines
•Warm and sunny weather helps in ripening or the crop
•Hailstorms, frost and rain at the time of harvesting are harmful
•A fungal disease called ‘Rust’ affects crop yield
•Research on this to produce rust resistant variety of wheat
•Wheat is grown on about 17% of the cropped land in India .
DISTRIBUTION:
•Leading producers – Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Upper Ganga Basin
•Conditions suitable for growing of wheat in the above places are:
- temperature – 10 degree – 20 degree, Rainfall – 50 to 100cms,
- Soil – alloamy, aluvial soil, and it needs winter rainfall
•Uttar Pradesh- 34% of production
•UP, Punjab, Haryana put together – Granary of India
•Possible due to Green Revolution
•Supply of high yielding variety seeds, proper use of chemical fertilizers, an excellent irrigation system provided by a close network of canals and effective pest control measures have contributed significantly to the increase in wheat production.
1.In which part of the year is wheat grown in India?
during winter season
2. Why is wheat not grown in the eastern and in the extreme southern parts of India?
because the temperature in these area does not fall to the required level, as the temperature should not rise beyond 10 degree to 15 degree C for its proper growth.
3. Name any two states which are leading producers of wheat?
Punjab and Haryana
4. Why is the area under wheat cultivation going to be increased?
By the use of Green Revolution Technology, newly yielded wheats can survive in drought conditions also; i.e., has been able to survive wide fluctuations in rainfall.
5. What does HYV stand for?
HYV stands for ‘High Yielding Variety’.
6. Name the leading producer of wheat in India.
Uttar Pradesh – accounting for over 34% of the production
7. In which season is wheat sown and why?
Wheat is sown in winter season in the month of November because it is a rabi crop and can be successfully cultivated in temperate climatic conditions.
8. State 3 factors which make it possible to grow wheat in western UP?
i. Western U.P. receives rainfall between 22cm and 100 cm
ii. 3 c m to 7 cm of winter rainfall helps in producing a good harvest
iii. In Winter, the temperature falls to the suitable level.
9. In what important respects do the climatic conditions for wheat differ from those for rice?
Wheat grows in cool temperature while rice grows in warm temperature. Wheat needs a temperature of 10 degree C to 15 degree C during the growing season and 25 degree C to 28 degree C during the ripening stage while rice needs a temperature of 16 degree C to 20 degree C during the early growing status and 18 degree C to 32 degree C during the ripening stage.
Also, wheat requires rainfall ranging between 50 cm to 100 cm during the growing season while rice requires rainfall ranging between 150 cm to 300 cm.
10. State the climatic and soil conditions favourable for cultivation of wheat.
CLIMATE: Wheat grows properly in cool climate with moderate rainfall. It requires a needs a temperature of 10 degree C to 15 degree C during the growing season and 25 degree C to 28 degree C during the ripening stage.
Wheat requires rainfall ranging between 50 cm to 100 cm during the growing season. A little rain before ripening improve its quality.
SOIL: Wheat grows well on the loamy, clayey soil of the Ganga plain and the black soil of the Deccan Plateau. The crop yields better on heavy-textured soil containing a little amount of lime.
11. Briefly explain why the geographical conditions in Punjab are most suitable for growing wheat.
The geographical conditions in Punjab are most suitable for growing wheat as the temperature is suitable during growing season. Clayey soil of Punjab helps to grow soft variety of wheat which is suitable for bread.
Further, the winter shower in this region improve the quality of wheat
12. Give two natural and two man-made factors that help in the cultivation of wheat.
Two natural factors that help in the cultivation of wheat are:
* Fertile loamy clayey and black soil
* Cool climate with moderate rainfall
Two man-made factors that help in the cultivation of wheat are:
* use of nitrogenous fertilizers
* Use of high-yield seeds.
13. What are the requirements for the cultivation of wheat with reference to a) soil b) rainfall range?
SOIL: Clay loam soil or black cotton soils or alluvial soil or friable loam. The soil should be able to retain moisture.
RAINFALL RANGE: 50 -58 cm
14. Name the months when the kharif crops are sown and harvested.
The period of sowing of kharif crops is during June-July. The period of harvesting of karif crops is October-November.
15. Which are the two staple food crops of India? Name against each the agricultural season in which it is grown.
Rice and wheat. The agricultural season during which they are grown rice during Kharif and Wheat during Rabi season.
16. Name the months when the kharif crops are:
a) sown b) harvested
a) The period of sowing of kharif crops is June-July
b) The period of harvesting of kharif crops is October – November.
17. What is a Rabi crop? Is wheat a Rabi or Kharif crop? In which state of India is the largest amount of wheat grown? (2001)
A Rabi crop is a winter crop that is sown during October-November and harvested by March – April.
Wheat is a Rabi crop. Uttar Pradesh is the largest producer of wheat.
PULSES (Rabi Crop)
•Important part of Indian diet
•Grown in rabi season.
•Pulses include a number of crops (dals) which provide much needed vegetable proteins to a large vegetarian population of India.
•Excellent forage (food for cattle) and grain concentrates in the feed of cattle.
• gram and tur – important pulses
•Other pulses – urad (black gram), moong (green gram), masoor (lentil), matar (peas) and moth
•Are good rotation crop for rice because of their high nitrate content which help to restore the fertility of soil.
JOWAR ( Rabi , Kharif crop)
•After wheat and rice, jowar most popular food
•Both rabi and kharif crop
SOILS:
•Medium regur, clayey black soils are suitable.
•Kharif jowar can be grown on light sandy soil where as rabi jowar is best grown on black regur soils.
CLIMATIC REQUIREMENTS
•TEMPERATURE: - 26 degree to 33 degree C
•RAINFALL: 30 to 100 cms – cannot grow where rainfall exceeds 100cm
•Jowar is a rainfed crop of dry farming areas where irrigation is not used.
•Both excessive rains and drought conditions are harmful for the plant.
•USES: * for making roti
•Straw of the plant used as fodder for feeding cattle. – some areas it is raised only as cattle feed.
•AREAS: Maharastra – largest producer
•Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat
BAJRA (BULRUSH MILLET, KHARIF CROP)
•Kharif crop
•Food crop and fodder for the cattle in drier parts of the country
•In certain areas it is used for thatching the roof.
•Sown as rotation or mixed crop
•Rotated mostly with cotton, jowar or ragi
•SOILS: can grow on variety of soils, from poor light-sandy toblack or red or gravelly soil of upland areas.
•CLIMATE: TEMPERATURE: ideal 25 to 35 degree C
•RAINFALL: grown well where rainfall is less than 100cm
•It is a rainfed crop and is seldom irrigated.
•Bright sunshine after light showers is very useful in early stages
USES: used as food crop, for making roti and fodder for cattle
AREAS: Rajashtan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana.
Rajasthan – largest producer
MAIZE (Rabi, Kharif)
used for food and fodder
•Its grain provides food and is used for obtaining starch and glucose
•Its stalk is used as fodder
•Tropical crop- known as corn
•Grown in kharif seas in most parts of India
•In Tamil Nadu, it is grown as a rabi crop before the onset of rainy winter season
•Can be grown in different altitudes from plains to the areas at 2500 m above sea level.
•Well drained plains – best suited for its growth
•SOILS: grows well on loamy soil rich in nitrogen
•CLIMATE: requires high temperatures ranging from 21 degree C to 27 degree C as it cannot survive frost at any stage of growth.
•Requires rainfall ranging between 50 to 100 cm during its growth. It needs cool and dry conditions during the ripening.
•AREAS: Uttar Pradesh, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh – leading producers
REVISE
1.In drilling method of farming, seeds are dropped through a bamboo shaft.
2.Rabi crops are sown in the cool winter season and harvested at the beginning of summer.
3. West Bengal is the largest producer of rice .
4. Transplantation is the sowing of seeds in nurseries.
5. Threshing is done by bullocks to spread the grains from chaff.
1.10 degree C to 15 degree c temperature required to grow wheat.
2. Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana produce 70% of total wheat.
3. A fungal disease called rust affects the wheat crop.
4. Wheat is a rabi crop.
INTRODUCTION
•Cash crops are those which are grown not primarily as a source of food, such as grains but mainly as raw materials for the industries
•Main cash crops are : sugarcane, oilseeds, cotton, jute, tea, coffee, tobacco and rubber
•Grown mostly on plantations
•Play important play a significant role in the economy of the country.
•These crops not only provide raw material for several industries, but also are valuable foreign exchange earners
COTTON (RABI AND KHARIF CROP)
•Important fibre crops of India.
•Provides the basic raw material (cotton fibre) to cotton textile industry.
•4th largest producers of cotton
•Largest area under cultivation
•Produces 10% of the total world output
[pic]CHARACTERISTICS:
•IS A SHRUB about 1 to 1.5 m high, with large leaves and yellow flowers
•Flowers develop into cottonseed pods. Inside a white fibrous substance covers the seed. These seeds are known as ‘bolls’. These on maturity, burst open to reveal a fluffy mass of long white lint hairs covering a mass of brown seeds.
•Quality of cotton depends on length of fibres, fineness, strength and colour. Cotton with fibres over 2.8cm in length is called ‘long staple’ which is considered the best.
This picture shows the plant flowering. As the flower becomes mature, it develops into a cotton boll.
•Most of the cotton grown in India as the ‘short staple’ variety with a fibre length of 2.2cm.
•Tropical and subtropical crop grown upto 40 degree N latitude.
Here is a picture of a young cotton boll
(the cotton boll is inside the white square). The boll contains the cotton and the seeds
[pic]
This is a mature cotton boll that is ready to be harvested.
[pic]
The combine used to harvest cotton is called a cotton picker.
[pic]
This is cotton seed. The seed on the left still has the lint left on it. In contrast, the seed on the right had the lint removed (by acid). Also, the seed on the right, which will be used for planting, has been treated with a chemical to prevent diseases and insects.
[pic]
GEOGRAPHICAL REQUIREMENTS
SOILS: grown on variety of soils – black cotton soil of the Deccan Plateau which has the ability to retain moisture
•Grows well in in light and alluvial soils of Sutlej-Ganga plains and red laterite soils of the Peninsular regions.
TEMPERATURE: needs mild, cool , preferably dry climate with 21 degree C to 27 degree C temperature.
•Needs of plenty of sunshine.
•Warm days and cool nights are good for the devp of the boll and fibre in the first stage at the time of fruition.
RAINFALL: 50 cm to 80 cm, - must be well distributed throughout the year
•Stagnant water and excessive are harmful to the plant
METHOD OF CULTIVATION:-
SOWING: In most part of the country, cotton is cultivated as a kharif crop.
•It is sown at the onset of the monsoon.
•Seeds are usually sown by broadcasting or drilling method.
•Weeding is required during the growth of the plant.
[pic]HARVESTING:
The crops are harvested in October in hot and humid conditions which helps in the ripening and the bursting of the cotton bolls.
•The bolls are picked entirely by hand. The picking season lasts from Nov to Feb when conditions are dry. There are three to four pickings as the bolls keep maturing.
•The plants are need to be protected from various pests and diseases by using insecticides and fungicides at time to time.
PROCESSING: Raw cotton has to be undergone through ginning to separate the seeds from the raw material called lint. Finally the lint is tightly packed into bales and sent to the mills for spinning.
[pic]Time to spinning
AREAS: India has the largest area under cotton cultivation though it is not the largest producer
•Leading producers – Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh
•Punjab and Haryana grow long staple variety.
[pic]
USES: After ginning, oil is extracted from the cotton seed and used for making vanaspathi, margarine and soap
•The residue is used as cattle feed.
QUESTIONS:
a. State two geographical requirements for the growth of cotton.
The following geographical conditions are required for the production of cotton:
TEMPERATURE: The cotton requires temperature between 200C to 270C. It requires abundant sunshine
during its growth.Frost is harmful for the plant.
RAINFALL: Cotton requires moderate to light rainfall. Rainfall ranging between 50cm to100cm is
adequate. Frost free days are must during picking days.
SOIL : Deep domat (loamy) and black soil is highly suitable for cotton because these soils have the
property of retaining moisture. It can be grown on a wide variety of soils including light sandy soil under
irrigation.
b. Name the most important fibre which is used as fibre crop for clothing.
Cotton is the most important fibre which is used as fibre crop.
c. How is the cotton graded commercially?
Commercially cotton is graded according to the length, fineness and strength of the staple. Mainly there are three varieties of staple.
i) Short staple - less than 2.2 cm
ii) Medium staple- 2.2 cm to 2.8cm
iii) Long staple - above 2.8 cm
Long staple is considered the best.
d. Name some leading cotton producing states. Name the state with high productivity of cotton.
Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana are leading producers of cotton.
e. “Cotton requires warm days and cool nights and grows best on irrigated land in hot climate”. Why?
Warm days and cool nights during the fruiting stage are good for the development of the boll and fibre.
rain during fruiting stage may result in the fibre becoming mouldy and discoloured.
f. Name a cash crop which is also a kharif crop.
Cotton
g. Which state in India produces the largest quantity of raw cotton? Mention any two climatic conditions that favour the growing of cotton in the state mentioned by you in (i) above.
Gurarat produces the largest quantity of raw cotton.
· 21 degree C to 270C temperature is required for growing cotton which is found in Gujarat.
· Well distributed rain ranging between 50 cm to 80 cm is required which is available in Gujarat.
h. Name two states which produce long staple cotton. Name any two insects that attack cotton.
Punjab and Haryana.
Boll weevils and wilt attack cotton.
i. Mention any two climatic conditions which should prevail during the harvesting of cotton. What is lint?
During the harvesting, there should be no rainfall and the temperature should be high. These conditions help in the ripening and bursting of cotton bolls.
The raw materialfrom which the seeds have been removed is called lint.
j. Why is cotton grown widely in the Deccan Plateau?
Cotton is widely grown in the Deccan Plateau because:
· Favourable climate: Cotton needs a warm climate. Summer temperature of 210C to 270C and abundant sunshine is necessary during the growth of the plant. These conditions prevail in the Deccan Plateau.
· Soil: Cotton grows well in the black soil which have the property of retaining moisture. Most parts of the Deccan Plateau have black soil.
k. State two main ways by which cotton production in India has shown an increase in recent years.
* India is the first to develop hybrid cotton variety leading to increased production.
* Production scenario has considerably changed. Punjab has emerged as the major producer.
l. Explain the term ‘Ginning’.
GINNING is associated with cotton. Ginning is a process by which seeds are separated from the fibre.
j. What is meant by the term ‘oil cake’?
Oil cake is a by-product of cotton seeds. The cotton seeds are used to extract the oil and the residue is known as Oil cake and is used as livestock feed.
k. Write a short note on processing of cotton.
After harvesting the cotton crop passes through the following process:
i) After the cotton has picked, either by machine or by hand, it is ginned. Ginning is a process used to separate the
fibres or lint from the seeds and the short fibres or linters which adhere to them.
ii. The seeds may be crushed to yield oil, the residue being used for cattle fodder.
iii. The cotton lint itself is baled for transport to the manufacturing regions.
iv. The fibres are washed and then combed to form a rope-like mass of fibres known as silver.
v. The silver is fed to the spindles and spun to make cotton yarn.
l. What are the features of marketing of cotton in India?
* In some states, farmers sell their raw cotton in primary or local markets.
* Then comes the process of ginning in which seeds are separated from the lint.
* After separating seeds, cotton is tied into bales.
* Cotton bales, each of 170 kg are transported to terminal markets where these are sold to consuming mills
as raw material.
* In mills, the cotton is spun into yarn before its conversion into fabrics. The quality of yarn spun from the
cotton determines the price of cotton.
In some states, cotton is purchased from the farmers by govt agencies. The objectives of this scheme are:
· To ensure that the farmer gets legitimate price of his product.
· To procure good quality of cotton for mills.
· To supply unadulterated cotton to consumers at fixed price.
What are Cash crops?
Cash crops are those which are grown by the farmers on large scale to sell in the market. These provide raw material to the industry. E.g.: Sugarcane, cotton, jute, tea
RUBBER
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INTRODUCTION: Natural rubber is an elastic hydrocarbon polymerthat naturally occurs as a milky colloidal suspension, or latex, in the sap of some plants. It can also be synthesized. The entropy model of rubber was developed in 1934 by Werner Kuhn.
TEMPERATURE: 21 to 35 degree C . Average 25 degree C
RAINFALL: 200 cm to 400 cm of well distributed rain
SOIL: Porous and well drained laterite soil or alluvial soil.
METHODS OF FARMING:-
•Rubber plants are obtained by seeds or bud grafting .
•Grafting method is more popular
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The rubber trees are grown in neat rows in small acreages by the owners. These are known as smallholdings.
PROCESSING:-
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Natural rubber prodn begins with the collection of latex, a milky white substance produced by the cells of several plants..
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Rubber tapping is hard work. It can starts as early as 2 am. The coolness of the early morning air encourages the latex to flow thus improving the yield
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•However, the tapping will continue until late morning
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•A special tapping knife is used to shear off a thin layer. of rubber tree's bark. Care must be taking not to cut too deep as this would injure the tree.
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Rubber tapping is hard work. It can starts as early as 2 am. The coolness of the early morning air encourages the latex to flow thus improving the yield .
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•The latex flows into the cup attached to the tree. By noon or early afternoon, the latex will have stopped flowing.
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•The rubber tapper will then go back to each tree and empty the latex collected in the cups into the tin.
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The tins of latex will be carried back to a small makeshift rubber "factory" in the smallholding .
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•Here the latex is poured into moulds. Then formic acid is added to coagulate the liquid latex.
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•This transforms the liquid latex into a firm solid block of rubber
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•The block of rubber is initially rolled using a wooden roller so that it is thin enough for it to be rolled by the mangle machine.
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•This is a picture of the mangle machine. It is the only piece of machinery required to make the rubber sheets.
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•The rubber sheet is manually rolled using the mangle several times to make it thinner by squeezing out the water. This make it easier for the sheet to dry.
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•The finished rubber sheets are then bought home for drying.
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•The dried rubber sheet is golden brown as opposed to white initially.
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•Here, the dried rubber sheets are stacked up waiting to be sold to the middlemen .
In places like Kerala, where coconuts are in abundance, the shell of half a coconut is used as the collection container for the latex.
•The shells are attached to the tree via a short sharp stick and the latex drips down into it overnight.
[pic]•The mixture is then applied mechanically to a base or is shaped, and the coated object or shaped mixture is placed in molds and vulcanized .
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•This usually produces latex up to a level of half to three quarters of the shell. The latex from multiple trees is then poured into flat pans, and this is mixed with formic acid, which serves as a coagulant resulting in rubber crump.
•After a few hours, the very wet sheets of rubber are wrung out by putting them through a press before they are sent onto factories where vulcanization and further processing is done to it.
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AREAS/STATES
•Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andaman and Nicobar islands
USES
We depend so much on rubber that it would be almost impossible to get along without rubber. Rubber is especially useful for several reasons. It holds air, keeps out moisture and does not conduct electricity. But its chief importance to us is that it’s elastic. When you stretch a rubber band and let it go, it springs back, to its original shape. Your rubber heels absorb shock when you walk because they have elasticity.
[pic]•Manufacturers use rubber to make everything from waterproof aprons, boots, raincoats, gloves, hats, automobile spare parts and tires, hair combs and doctors use it for hot water bottles, ice bags, syringes, elastic tapes and surgeon’s gloves. Hearing aids, oxygen tents and many other pieces of equipment have rubber parts. Infact, it has become an indispensable part of our life. It would be impossible to imagine life without rubber – for example, could you imagine the tires of a car made of any other material other than rubber? Literally thousands of products that we use and see everyday are made of different kinds of rubber. As rubber is really a dynamic and versatile element, it can be used to make almost any thing. Some of the common products that are made of rubber are: tires. baby toys, gloves, condoms, shock absorbers, watches, underwater equipment, garments, boots, rubber bands, car mats, machine parts, erasers and sporting equipments. The coefficient of friction of rubber, which is high on dry surfaces and low on wet surfaces, leads to the use of rubber both for power-transmission belting and for water-lubricated bearings in deep-well pumps.
QUESTIONS:
a. Name one important plantation crop except tea. Explain two important characteristics of plantation farming with reference to the crop named above.
Rubber.
Characteristics of plantation farming are:
Crop is grown on huge estates and plantation specializes in the production of one crop only.
There is a huge Capital investment and modern and scientific techniques are used.
b. State two geographical requirements for the growth of rubber.
Geographical requirements for the growth of rubber are:
RAINFALL – Heavy and well distributed rainfall throughout the year between 200 – 400cm.
TEMPERATURE – A constant high temperature of around 270C.
SOIL – Alluvial soil from which forests have been cleared is best suited for the growth of rubber plant. In India, rubber is cultivated on porous, well-drained laterite soil.
c. Kerala leads in the production of rubber. Give two reasons.
* Rubber is an equatorial plant .The climateof Kerala is similar to the climate of equatorial region.It
requires temperature ranging between 210C to 350C and 200 cm to 400 cm of rainfall. This type of
climate is found in Kerala.
* Porous, well-drained laterite soil is found in Kerala which suits rubber.
* It requires cheap labour which is available in Kerala.
d. When were rubber plantations first started in India? Why is rubber grown on flat or gently sloping land?
The rubber plantation were started in India by the British in 1902 on the banks of the river Periyar in Kerala,
· On flat or gentle slopes, machines can be used to clear the original vegetation.
· Gently sloping land also makes the tapping of latex makes easier for the tapper..
· On steep slopes soil erosion is a major problem but on flat land this problem is not there.
· Terraced farming on steeper slopes may add to the cost of rubber cultivation because the formation of terraces requires additional labour.
e. What is economic importance of rubber?
Natural rubber is sticky and very soft. Its properties can be improved by vulcanization. It is used in the manufacture of automobile tyres, tubes, soles of shoes, sports goods, foam rubber, mattresses and insulating material for wires and cables. In addition to it, it is also water-proof and air tight.
f. Name the tree which has become the exclusive provider of natural rubber. Why rubber is mostly produced in Kerala?
Hevea tree is the exclusive provider of natural rubber.
· Rubber tree grow best in areas with hot, humid and wet conditions throughout the year and requires temperature between 210C to 350C. All these conditions are found in Kerala.
· Rubber trees require heavy (more than 300cm) and well distributed rainfall. Kerala receives rain from south west as well as north east monsoons.
g. What are the two methods used in the propagation of rubber plant? Explain.
PROPAGATION BY SEEDS:
· Special germination beds are prepared and good quality seeds are germinated.
· Then seedlings are transferred to nurseries.
· Then these are planted in fields during the rainy season.
PROPAGATION BY BUD GRAFTING: Propagation by bud grafting is the best method of propagating rubber.
· After the seedlings have grown upto 5cm, buds from high yielding clones are grafted on to the seedlings.
· To establish the graft, it is bound to the seedling.
· Once the graft is established, the remainder of the old seedling is cut off just below the union.(tied point)
h. “Leguminous plants are grown between the seedling tree of rubber plant”. Why?
* Leguminous plants prevent soil erosion.
* These enrich the soil with nitrogenous compounds.
* These also supplement income of the cultivatiors.
i. What is tapping? What points should be kept in mind by a tapper?
Tapping is a process by which milk juice or latex is taken out from a rubber tree by making 2 mm deep cut at an agle of 300.
PRECAUTIONS:
· Cambium should not be damaged while making the cut.
· It should be done early in the morning when latex flows freely.
· It should not be done during rains.
j. Explain the processing procedure of rubber before marketing it.
* The latex is strained to remove impurities, coagulated into coagulum by the addition of acetic acid and formic acid.
* To squeeze out the water, it is then passed through rollers.
* To remove the excess water the wet sheets are then hung on reapers.
* The final drying of the rubber sheet is done in smoke houses.
* The sheets are then graded and packed in bales and marketed.
k. Name some of the items in the manufacture of which rubber is used.
Rubber is used in the manufacture of tyres, tubes, shoes, sports goods, cushions, mattresses, foam rubber, and insulating material.
l. What are the climatic requirements of rubber plantations in terms of: i) mean annual temperature
ii. Minimum temperature iii. Amount of rainfall iv. Rainfall regime
i. MEAN ANNUAL TEMPERATURE: 270C
ii. MINIMUM TEMPERATURE: 200C
iii. AMOUNT OF RAINFALL: Well distributed rainfall ranging between 200cm to 400cm.
iv. RAINFALL REGIME: Well distributed rainfall throughout the year.
j. What are ‘cover crops’ in rubber cultivation? Why are they grown?
Some leguminous crops are sown between the seedling trees of rubber to conserve the soil by adding humus and nitrogen content to the soil. The cover crops become the source of income for farmers until the rubber trees become mature after 7 to 8 years and starts giving income.
k. What is latex?
Latex is the sap of the rubber tree.
l. How is tapping done in rubber cultivation? When tapping is done and when not?
The process of obtaining latex or sap from the rubber tree is known as tapping. First, a cut is made about 1 to1.5 metre above the ground level and at an angle of 300 from the horizontal. The cut is made half-way around the circumference of the tree and slope down to the right. A zinc pipe is adjusted in the vertical groove through which the latex comes out.
Tapping is done early in the morning because in the morning the latex of rubber flows freely. Tapping is not done during rains as mixing of water may dilute the latex. Rubber trees are tapped between 200 to 300 days a year. A rubber tree gives latex from 25 to 30 years.
m. Why tapping is considered a skilled job?
Tapping of latex from a rubber tree is really a skilled job because a tapper has to make a cut which is only 2 mm deep. If the cut becomes deep, it will damage the cambium which is a paper-like thin skin between the bark and the wood of the tree.
n. Give the areas of rubber production in India.
Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andaman and Nicobar Islands are the rubber producing areas of India. 91 per cent of the total area under rubber lies in Kerala alone.
o. Explain the bud grafting and name the crop associated with it.
In this process, bud of hjigh yielding plant is grafted into the seedlings of new plants combining the best quality of both.
Rubber is the crop associated with it.
TEA
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•Important beverage crop
•Stimulating and cheap drink
TYPES:
1.Black Tea – by drying leaves in the sun & then rolling them mechanically between steel rollers & fermenting them
2.Green Tea – no fermentation in this process[pic]
3.Oolong Tea-made by fermenting tea leaves-gives gereenish-brown colour
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TEMPERATURE: 12 to 35 degree C but 25 degree C is an ideal temperature
RAINFALL:150 cm TO 250 cm (distribution throughout the year)
SOIL: Light loams rich in iron content , porous sub-soils so that water percolates , stagnation of water near roots is harmful.
METHODS OF FARMING: By sowing seeds in germinating beds, and another method is to use cuttings from high yielding plants.
•AREAS AND STATES:
•Assam – largest producer
•Brahmaputra valley in Assam, Darjeeling in West Bengal, Kangra in Himachal, Garhwal Hills in Uttaranchal, Nilgiri Hills and Annamalai Hills in the South .
PICKING OF TEA LEAVES
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PROCESSING
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5 STAGES OF PROCESSING:
1. WITHERING:
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Tea leaves are spread on racks for 15 to 20 hours - hot air blown over the racks to remove the excess moisture - makes leaves soft and flexible.
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LEAVES IN TEA PROCESSING PLANT
•Drying leaves
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2. ROLLING: Tea leaves are pressed in rollers to break their cells and exposes the natural juices to fermentation. – this gives flavour .
They are rolling tea leaves
3. FERMENTATION: Leaves are spread out on special trays for fermentation under controlled temperature and humidity conditions. In this process the tannin in tea is partly oxidised and colour changes and flavour develops.
tea leaves are left for fermentation
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4. FIRING OR DRYING: Fermented leaves are passed through oven over a belt
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5. SORTING : Tea leaves are sorted out in various grades with the help of sifters with different size of meshes. After sorting they are given the brand names, denoting the size of the leaves like pekoe, broken orange, dust, etc)
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sorting
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[pic]REVISION:
a.. Which crop in India represents the world’s best example of plantation agriculture in all its aspects? What are the climatic requirements of this crop? (2)
Tea is the world’s best example of plantation crop.
CLIMATIC REQUIREMENTS are :
Temperature : It needs a temperature of 13 degree C – 35 degree C
Rainfall – It requires well distributed rainfall between 150 cms to 250 cms. It cannot withstand long spells of dry
conditions. It needs high humidity and heavy dew for it growth.
Soil – It requires light loamy soil with porous subsoil.
Labour is needed for its plantation, pruning and plucking and packing.
b. State the leading beverage crop of India. What are its requirements in terms of soil, rainfall and labour?
Tea is the leading beverage crop of India
Soil – It requires light loamy soil.
Rainfall – Tea plants require 150 cm to 250 cm of rainfall.
Labour - Skilled female labour for picking leaves.
c. Name the two conditions which favour the growth of tea Nilgiris.
HILLS: Because roots of tea cannot tolerate stagnant water, tea grows well in Nilgiris Hills.
RAINFALL: This region has well distributed rainfall throughout the year.
d. What is ‘Suckering’? What is its importance?
Suckering is removing of auxiliary bud that grows after topping.
Suckering helps to improve the size, body and quality of the leaves.
e. Name the largest exporting tea port in the world. Where is tea grown in India?
Kolkotta port.
Tea is mainly grown in Assam, northern hill slopes of West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh and hills of Uttarakhand.
f. What is the importance of tea industry for Indian economy?
* It employs a million persons directly and another million indirectly.
* Tea industry is the main foreign exchange earner.
g. What do you mean by fine plucking? What point should be kept in mind by the plucker during this process.
Plucking of two leaves and a bud from the tea bush is known as fine plucking.
Plucker should not pluck third leaf as it is coarser and does not produce good tea.
h. What is flush? How much time is taken by shrub to produce flush?
New shoots in a tea plant are known as flush.
Tree shrubs develop flush after three to five years.
i. Name one important plantation crop. Explain two important features of plantation farming with reference to the crop named above.
Tea is a plantation crop.
· Plantation farms are generally large and normal size of the farm varies from 5 to 40 hctares.
· these farms employ labour on large scale.
j. Mention a leading beverage crop of India. What are its requirements in term of soil and rainfall?
Tea is a leading beverage crop of India.
Rainfall – Well distributed rainfall between 150 cms to 250 cms. It cannot withstand long spells of dry conditions.
Soil – It requires light loamy soil with porous subsoil.
k. Name one important tea growing area. Name the most important port for the export of tea.
Kerala, Assam, W. Bengal are important tea growing areas.
Kolkotta port is the most important port for the export of tea.
l. Tea is grown mainly on hill and mountain slopes. Give reason.
Tea is grown mainly on hill and mountain slopes because water strains out quickly on the slope as stagnation of water is harmful to tea crop.
m. With reference to cultivation of tea in the southern India, name one important tea-growing area.
Nilgiri-Hills in south of India.
COFFEE
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Coffee is a brewed beverage prepared from roasted seeds, commonly calledcoffee beans, of the coffee plant. Due to its caffeine content, coffee has a stimulating effect in humans. Today, coffee is one of the most popular beverages worldwide.
Coffee berries, which contain the coffee bean, are produced by several species of small evergreen bush of the genus Coffea. The two most commonly grown species are Coffea canephora (also known as Coffea robusta) and Coffea arabica; less popular species are Liberica, Excelsa, Stenophylla, Mauritiana, Racemosa. These are cultivated in Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Africa. Once ripe, coffee berries are picked, processed, and dried. The seeds are then roasted, undergoing several physical and chemical changes. They are roasted to varying degrees, depending on the desired flavor. They are then ground and brewed to create coffee. Coffee can be prepared and presented in a variety of ways.
Indian coffee bears a unique historic flavor which was introduced around four hundred years ago. Initially, the coffee plantation was limited to Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, but now it has gradually reached Andhra and Orissa. To talk about the growth of Indian coffee is mainly to mention its diverse climate condition, suitable for cultivation of different varieties of coffee. Arabicas, a mild quality coffee grows tremendously in the high elevation regions of the country whereas Robustas needs humid condition to cultivate.Coffee was believed to have set off in Cachar district of Assam in the year 1853. The supplementary coffee plantation area in the non-traditional regions was projected in the North Eastern Region. Coffee Plantation in India is successfully providing employment to tribal people inhabiting the hill areas of the region which also tremendously helps in preventing soil erosion. Coffee Plantation is synonymous to afforestation and thus improving the ecology of the North Eastern Region and the socio-economic condition of India.
Coffee is a labor-intensive crop which needs at least 2.5 people per hectare for growth and maintenance. North-Eastern regions of India such as Mizoram, Cherapunjee, Meghalaya, Tripura and Assam are blessed with a lot of Coffee gardens in India. India is now happy to get large varieties of coffees, as nearly 50 diverse sorts of shade trees are found in Indian coffee plantation.The process of Coffee cultivation in India is based on a precise two-tier mixed shade canopy, including evergreen leguminous trees. A large array of spices and fruit crops as vanilla, orange, banana, pepper and cardamom cultivate together with coffee plants. India is popular for offering the unique under shade coffee to its visitors. Characteristically mild and not too acidic, the Indian Coffee is liked and preferred for possessing an exotic full-bodied taste with a fine fragrance.
•TEMPERATURE: 18 to 28 degree C
sensitive to cold and frost
RAINFALL: 125 cm to 250 cm
SOIL: Loamy soil with humus content, well drained hill slopes between 450 m to 1800 m altitude are suitable
AREAS AND STATES: Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Nilgiri Hills, Cardamon Hills, Anamalai Hills,
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METHODS OF FARMING
•Seeds are sown in nurseries and then transplanted on [pic]coffee estates
•Young plants are sheltered from the sun by shady trees
•Regular pruning is must .
Kona "Snow" At the peak of bloom, Kona coffee branches look as though they hold strings of freshly fallen "snow". Kona coffee is a member of the gardenia family and these beautiful white blossoms permeate the air with their heavenly sweet smell. When we have a rainy winter, we often have Kona coffee "snow" at the same time as some of the coffee cherry is ripening into a blush .
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Coffee blush at harvest time When the coffee reaches a robust fullness and a bright red blush, it is selectively picked, often taking several pickings before all of the coffee has been harvested.
STAGE ONE.MANUAL SELECTION OF GOOD CHERRIES FROM BAD ONE.
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A cup of good coffee can be completely ruined by a few coffee cherries mixed with the good one. Therefore a lot of care must be taken. This is where we start after bringing coffee from the field to spread on a mat and carefully manually remove all the over ripe cherries, the unripe (green and twigs or leaves which may have mistakenly fallen during the picking period. This is the firststage of grading. The small cherries are also [pic]removed .
•The freshly picked coffee is taken to coffee mill and pulped which removes the outside cherry skin. The coffee mill redwood tank holds the coffee during the 24-hour fermentation process.
•The coffee is sent from the coffee mill by chute onto a drying rack which is a large platform on the rooftop. Here it is sun dried to perfection until the moisture content level is correct.
•Now the coffee is ready to be hulled. Once the parchment surrounding the green coffee bean has been removed, it is ready for roasting.
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Ripening of coffee fruits[pic]
PROCESSING
•Coffee berries are processed in two ways
1.WET METHOD: Berries are fermented, washed, dried and roasted.
2.DRY METHOD: Berries are dried in the sun and then pounded to remove outer cover.
TYPES OF COFFEE:-
1.ARABICA COFFEE
2.ROBUSTA COFFEE
3.LIBERICA COFFEE
LET US REVISE:
a. State the climatic conditions required for the cultivation of coffee in India. Name two states in India where coffee is grown.
· TEMPERATURE – Coffee plant requires temperature between 15 0 C to 280 C throughout the year.
Frost is highly injurious to the coffee plant. In the early stages of its growth, this plant has to be protected from hot winds. Direct rays of the sun are also damaging, so coffee is grown in the shade of trees.
· RAINFALLl: Rainfall between 150 cm and 200 cm is sufficient for coffee. This rainfall should be well distributed throughout the year.
· SOIL – Volcanic soil on well-drained hill slopes is idea for a coffee plant. Soil should also contain ample humus contents. In India, coffee is grown in red and laterite soils.
It is grown in Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu. Karnataka is the leading producer.
b. State two problems faced by coffee cultivatiors in India.
Two problems faced by coffee cultivators in India are:
· Yield per hectare is very low. Therefore the total production of coffee in India is low as compared to other countries of the world. It is due to lack of high-yielding plants, poor and outdated management techniques and unimpressive use of manures and pesticides.
· India faces stiff competition in international markets from Kenya, Brazil.
· The quality of coffee is also poor and fluctuates frequently depending upon climatic and soil conditions in India.
c. Name three main varieties of coffee. Which variety is grown in India? Why are the following trees commonly grown in a coffee estate?
i. Dalap and Silver Oak ii. Orange and plum iii. cardamom
Arabica(Superior quality), Robusta and Liberica are three main varieties of coffee.
Arabica which is a superior quality coffee is grown in India.
· A coffee plant yields a full crop after it is six to eight years old. So to cover up this long period,
coffee estates are interplanted with orange trees, cardamom and pepper vines to obtain additional income.
· Coffee plant should be sheltered from direct sunlight, especially when the plants are young. This is another reason for growing other plants along with coffee plant.
d. Explain the sowing procedure of coffee plant.
* Seedlings or cuttings which have been prepared in nurseries are transplanted in well prepared land in
furrows, 3m apart.
* Trees are planted to protect the plants from sun rays.
e. Explain the harvesting procedure of coffee plant.
* Coffee berries grow along the stem and at the branching leaves. These berries are plucked by hand. The branches of coffee plant that have borne fruit are pruned every year. The plucked berries are then processed and ground into powder.
f. What is the importance of roasting?
Roasting is done to improve the flavour and taste of coffee. Roasting gives brown colour and pleasing aroma.
g. Mention two methods of processing coffee. or In which two ways coffee berries are processed?
i) Wet or Parchment method – In this method, coffee beans are fermented and washed in tanks several
times. Then they are dried and cured. Machines remove the thin skin of the berries called parchment.
ii) Dry or Native method. – The outer covering of berries is removed in this method by drying them under
the sun. Seeds are pounded to remove their parchment.
h. Which state in India is the largest producer of coffee? Give two climatic/geographical conditions that favour the cultivation of coffee in that state.
Karnataka is the largest producer of coffee.
· The Western Ghats in the south-west Karnataka provide ideal altitude between 700 to 1500 metres
for coffee cultivation.
* Soil here is loamy, well drained nd rich in iron and humus content.
* TEMPERATURE – It requires temperature between 15 0 C to 280 C throughout the year which is
found in Karnataka.
· RAINFALL – Rainfall of 125 to 200 cms from the south-west monsoons are highly suitable for
coffee in Karnataka.
* Sunny days and dry weather required for drying of berries are also available in Karntaka.
i. When and where was the first coffee plantation set up in India?
The first coffee plantation was set up in Karnataka in 1830 A.D.
j. Karntaka is the leading producer of coffee. Discuss various factors responsible for this. OR
Which state is the largest producer of coffee? Give two climatic conditions that favour the cultivation of
coffee in that state.
· Karntaka
· Coffee grows in tropical highland at altitudes varying between 900 m and 1800 m and the Western Ghats in the south west Karnataka provide ideal altitude.
· The temperature of Karntaka varies between 15 degree to 28 degree C and rainfall between 125 cm to 200 cm which are suitable for coffee cultivation.
· Coffee requires well drained soil which is found in this region.
k. How is coffee planting take place? Discuss.
* Before sowing the seeds of coffee, land is cleared from unwanted bushes and trees. Terraces are formed
on the hill slopes and contour drains are provided. Shady trees are planted a year in advance.
* Coffee seeds are planted in specially prepared seed beds. After about 45 to 50 days, they are transplanted
in the fields.
*The same coffee plant is replanted in coffee estate when it is of six months to two years old.
l. Why are the following trees commonly grown in a coffee estate?
i. Dalap and Silver Oak ii. Orange and Plum
i. Dalap and Silver Oak are grown to protect the young plants from heat.
ii. Orange and Plum are grown in a coffee estate for not only giving shelter but for earning extra income.
JUTE
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•Jute is a long, soft, shiny vegetable fiber that can be sp[pic]un into coarse, strong threads.
•Jute, the 'Golden Fiber' as it is called, is a plant that yields a fiber used for sacking and cordage.
•Known as the raw material for sacks the world over, jute is truly one of the most versatile fibers gifted to man by nature that finds various uses in the form of Handicrafts.
•Next to cotton, jute is the cheapest and most important of all textile fibers.
•India – 2nd largest producer after Bangladesh
•Important foreign exchange earner
•Known as ‘brown paper bag of wholesale trade’ – sack cloth,
•Carpets, rugs, tarpaulins, ropes, strings, etc
TEMPERATURE: 24 degree C to 35 degree C[pic]
•Requires high relative humidity of 80% to 90%
•RAINFALL: 170 cm to 200 cm, evenly distributed during growing period.
•SOIL: Alluvial soil found in flood plains and deltas
•Grown in sandy and clay loams
•Jute plant depletes the fertility of soil very rapidly, therefore riverbeds are best suited
•That’s why it grows best in the Ganga-Brahamputra delta
METHODS OF FARMING:
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Sown by broadcasting, dibbling and drilling methods
•Sown between March to June
•Ready for harvest in about 4 to 6 months when flowers begin to appear. Plants are cut to the ground or uprooted if the ground is flooded.
•Making the jute available from the fields to the mills is labour-intensive.
•Requires large work force
DISTRIBUTION: West Bengal, Assam, Orissa, Bihar, chhattisgarh
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Fertile land growing for jute
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After harvesting, retting is done.
After retting, jute is packed in bales and sent to mills.
LET US REVISE:
a. State the soil and water requirements of Jute. Name the state which is the leading producer of jute.
i) SOIL – sandy, and clayey loams. It grows well on alluvial soils.
WATER REQUIREMENTS : Rainfall of about 170 to 200 cms. It needs plenty of clean and soft water for retting.
ii) Leading producer of jute is West Bengal.
B. Name the most important fibre crop in West Bengal. Describe two geographical conditions which favour the growth of this crop.
Jute is the most important fibre crop of West Bengal.
· RAINFALL: The jute plant needs heavy rainfall of about 170 to 200 cms evenly distributed during the growing period. Continuous drought is damaging to the crop.
· TEMPERATURE: Jute is the crop of hot and humid climate so it needs high temperature varying from 240C to 350C . It also requires high relative humidity.
c. Write any important feature of jute plant covering the following points: i) Height ii) Type iii) Harvesting period.
HEIGHT: The plant grows to a height of 2 m to 4 m.
TYPE: Jute is tropical fibre plant.
HARVESTING PERIOD: The jute plant is ready for harvest in about 4 months to 6 months.
d. Why is jute called the ‘golden fibre’? Why is it also known as the ‘brown paper bag of wholesale trade’?
Jute is known as golden fibre because of its colour and because of its economic importance as it earns foreign exchange.
It is known as ‘brown paper bag of wholesale trade’ because of its wide variety of use in the wholesale market. It is used for making cloth to wrap bales of cotton, gunny bags, ropes, shopping bags, etc.
e. What is retting?
Retting is associated with jute. Retting is a microbiological process which loosens the outer bark and makes it easier to remove fibres from the stalk. Plant is dipped in stagnant water for 2-3 weeks to soften the outer bark in order to remove fibre.
f. What are the geographical conditions necessary for the growth of jute?
· RAINFALL: The jute plant needs heavy rainfall of about 170 to 200 cms evenly distributed during the growing period. Continuous drought is damaging to the crop.
· TEMPERATURE: Jute is the crop of hot and humid climate and so it needs high temperature varying from 240C to 350C . It also requires high relative humidity of 90 percent and above.
· SOIL – It is grown in the areas of new alluvium. Fertile, loamy and well - drained soil is ideal for jute cultivation.
· LABOUR – It is a labour intensive crop. It requires large number of workers in planting, harvesting, and getting fibre. So, densely populated areas like West Bengal are highly suitable for jute.
·
g. What are the different uses of jute in India?
Jute fabric or sack cloth is used for packing several commodities such as rice, wheat, etc. and wool and cotton in bales. It is also used in the manufacture of carpets, rugs, upholstery, ropes, strings and tarpaulins.
h. How is jute sown in India?
Jute is generally sown in February on lowlands and in March to May on highlands. For sowing, broadcasting method is used, i.e. seeds are thrown in shallow furrows. But nowadays, drilling method is being used for sowing jute.
i. How is harvesting of jute done?
After sowing, the jute crop matures in about four to six months. Its harvesting takes place between July and September. The plants are cut close to the ground or they are uprooted by flooding the fields.
j. Describe the processing of jute right from its fields to the mills.
Making of jute is a labour-intensive process which involves the following stages.
i. Harvested plants are left on the fields for two or three days so that their leaves dry up and shed. Then they are made
into bundles.
ii. These bundles of 20 cm to 25cm in diameter are immersed into water for retting and left there for two to three
weeks. This makes the outer bark loose and helps in the removal of the fibre from the stalk. This process is called
retting.
iii. When the retting process is considered complete, ten to twelve reeds are taken out from the stalk of the jute plant
and are beaten with a wooden mallet to loosen the fibre.
iv. The fibre, so obtained, is washed in clean water, wrung and spread out in the sun to dry.
v. Then this dry fibre is made into bundles and sorted according to quality and pressed into bales and transported to
manufacturers.
K. “Irrigation plays very vital role in the cultivation of tobacco.” Give reason.
* Irrigation is required to water the plants.
* Irrigation is also must to remove dust from the leaves.
l. How long does the jute plant take to mature? Name two methods used for harvesting jute plant.
The jute plant is ready for harvesting in about 4 – 6 months.
The plant is cut close to the ground or uprooted if the ground is flooded.
m. A plant X can be used as a substitute for jute. Identify the X and mention any two features.
Or What do you know about Mesta?
Mesta is a coarse fibre which is used as a substitute for jute.
FEATURES- * It is inferior to jute in quality and strength as it has coarse fibre.
· It can tolerate drier conditions, so it can be grown in areas unsuitable for the cultivation of jute.
n. Name an area in India where jute is cultivated widely. Mention why there is a concentration of this crop in the area mentioned by you. OR
‘Which state is the leading producer of jute’? Give any two factors responsible for this.
West Bengal is the leading producer of jute.
· The jute plant needs heavy and evenly distributed rainfall (170 cm – 200 cm) which is found in this region.
· Jute is a soil exhausting plant and grows well on alluvial soil. The Ganga-Brhamaputra delta has alluvial soil and soil is also replenished.
o. Name two jute products .
Sacks and carpets are the two major products.
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