Here, we briefly discuss all three “Crop seasons in India” with examples. Often examples of the crop seasons in India were asked in various competitive exams. For example “Muskmelon belongs to which of the following crop seasons?” Here the answer is Zaid. For a quick overview view the summary at the end of the topic.
What are crop seasons?
Crop seasons refer to specific periods of the year during which crops are sown, nurtured, and harvested. These seasons are influenced by the climatic conditions and weather patterns prevalent in a particular region.
Three Crop Seasons in India
• Kharif, Rabi, and Zaid – these three crop seasons are in India.
• Both the terms Kharif and Rabi are derived from the ‘Arabic’ language.
• In Arabic Language Rabi means – Spring Season
• In Arabic Language Kharif means – Autumn Season
Contribution of agriculture to the GDP of India- 19.9%.(2021 report)
Status & visibility
Kharif Crops / Monsoon Crops / Autumn Crops
• Kharif crop is also known as Monsoon Crops or Autumn Crops.
• It is sown at the beginning of the southwest monsoon and harvested at the end of the southwest monsoon.
• Sowing Seasons-May to July.
• Harvesting season-September to October.
• Important crops – Paddy, Maize, Jowar, Bajra, Tur (arhar), Moong, Urad, Cotton, Jute, Groundnut Soybean, etc.
• Some of the most important rice-growing regions are Assam, West Bengal, coastal regions of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Maharashtra, particularly the (Konkan coast) along with Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
• In states like Assam, West Bengal, and Odisha, three paddy crops are grown yearly. These are Aus, Aman, and Boro.
Rabi Crops / Winter Crops
• Rabi crops are sown in winter from October to December and harvested in summer from April to June.
• These crops are grown in a large part of India such as North and Northwestern parts such as Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh.
• Punjab and Uttar Pradesh are important for the production of wheat.
• The availability of precipitation during the winter months due to the western temperate cyclones helps these crops succeed.
• Successful implementation of the green revolution in Punjab, Haryana, western Uttar Pradesh, and parts of Rajasthan has also been an important factor in the growth of the Rabi crops.
• Some important Rabi crops are wheat, barley, peas, gram, and mustard.
Zaid Crops / Summer Crops
• These crops are mainly grown in the summer during the “Zaid crop season.“
• They require warm, dry weather as a major growth period and longer days for flowering.
Summary of Crop Season in India
| Kharif | Rabi | Zaid |
|---|---|---|
| Monsoon crop | Winter crop | Summer crop |
| July-October | October – February | March – June |
| Rice, Maize, Jowar, Bajra, Soyabean, Cotton, Groundnut, Jute, Urad Dal, Moong Dal, Tur Dal | Wheat, Barley, Gram, Peas, Mustard | Watermelon, Muskmelon, Cucumber, Vegetable and Fodder crops. |
FAQs about Crop Seasons in India
The Kharif crop season started with the onset of the Southwest Monsoon, during which tropical crops such as rice, cotton, jute, Jowar, Bajra, and Tur were cultivated.
Rabi crops are grown in India during the winter season from October to December and harvested from April to June.
In India, there are three distinct crop seasons: Kharif, Rabi, and Zaid.
The cropping seasons in which a particular crop is grown are considered a cropping season. India has three main cropping seasons: Kharif, Rabi, and Zaid.
Also, see the following Topics of Indian Agriculture
