Diversity in Agricultural Seasons and Crops:
India is a very diverse country, having multiple climates in different parts, different crops and different crop patterns. The variation of temperatures in Northern region is 1 degree to 45 degree Celsius, whereas in south, it is almost stable around 30 degrees. The monsoon also varies and so does its arrival in the country leading to variation in crop patterns. The major crops in India are divided into four categories, Food Grains (Rice, Wheat, Maize, Millets and Pulses), Cash Crops (Cotton, Jute, Sugarcane, Tobacco, and Oilseeds), Plantation Crops (Tea, Coffee, Coconut and, Rubber) and Horticulture Crops (Fruits and Vegetables). On the basis of seasons, the crops in India have been divided into Rabi, Kharif and Zaid crops. These variations are the major causes of different challenges in different regions. The level of adoption of technology is also different in different regions. The fertiliser usage per acre in Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland is 2.4 kg and 3.2 kg respectively whereas the usage in Haryana and Punjab is 220 kg and 243 kg. In most of the states in India, the average consumption is much below 200 kg per hectare. This vast variation also shows the huge opportunities in rural India, arable land vs non arable land and scope of micro irrigation and soluble agri inputs.
Blog taken from Book " Rural Market Unleashed " available on Amazon.in