Agricultural Situation of Rajasthan
Rajasthan is an agrarian state, where eighty percent of the total population resides in rural area and largely dependent on agriculture as the source of their livelihood. The economy of state is mostly depended on agriculture. 22.5 percent of state’s GDP comes from agriculture. Recognized as the largest state of India, Rajasthan has cultivated area of almost 20 million hectares but due to some unavoidable circumstances on 20% of the total cultivated area is irrigated. This really is a tense situation.
The weather is arid and hot. Large portion of terrain is dry. Droughts are common in Rajasthan and state has experienced some severe droughts in last few decades. Due to unstable weather conditions farmers have to depend on both rainfed and ground water agriculture. With the decreasing ground water level the cropping situation is more terrible as the farmers in the state have to survive mostly on ground water received from Punjab Rivers in the north, the Narmada River in the south and the Agra Canals from Haryana and Uttar Pradesh are the water providing sources to the dry land. Northwestern Rajasthan is irrigated by the Indira Gandhi Canal. Irrigation is done through electric pumps.
Despite of this the traditional cropping pattern is still continuing by using camels and buffaloes. Nowadays farmers are using tractors for this purpose. The use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides has increased the crop productivity and nowthe state is self sufficient in the production of food grains.
The two major crops sown in the region are Rabi crops and Khariff Crops.
Rabi Crops: Also known as winter crops are mainly the crops depended on ground water irrigation. These are the crops which are cultivated in the months of October and November and are harvested in the months of March and April. The crops sown during rabi season are Barley, Wheat, Gram, Pulses and Oil Seeds. The major oil seeds are Rape and Mustard.
Khariff Crops: Also known as rainfed crops are sown in the months of June and July and harvested in the months of September and October. These are the crops which are totally depended on rains, where there is good rain there is bumper production. The crops of this season include Bajra, Pulses, Jowar, Maize and Ground Nuts.
The areas which have huge basket of water or have maximum water sources are involved in producing high-yielding varieties of rice.
Some area of Rajasthan has black soil which is suitable for the production of cash crops like cotton. In some areas vegetables and fruit crops are grown.
The major crops of Rajasthan can be mentioned as follows:
Bajra(Pennisetum typhoideum) is normally consumed by the rural poor, the tribal community migrating from one place to another. Rajasthan is the largest producer of bajra in India.
Juar(Sorghum vulgare) is an important pulse crop grown during the monsoon.
Gram(Cicer arietinum) is also one of the major pulse crop grown in rabi season.
Wheat(Triticum sp.) is the major crop of Rajasthan grown almost in whole state.
Barley(Hordeum vulgare) is the second largest crop in Rajasthan.
Maize(Zea mays) is mostly consumed by the Bhil tribes in the Aravalli region. In northern Rajasthan, maize is interestingly eaten with butter and the green leaf of the mustard plant.
Groundnut is an oilseed cash crop grown in khariff season.
Sesame (Sesamum indicum) Rajasthan is the second highest producer sesame in India.
Cotton(Gossypium sp.) recognized as a cash crop. Cotton has played an important role in making Rajasthani textile industry famous in world.
The weather is arid and hot. Large portion of terrain is dry. Droughts are common in Rajasthan and state has experienced some severe droughts in last few decades. Due to unstable weather conditions farmers have to depend on both rainfed and ground water agriculture. With the decreasing ground water level the cropping situation is more terrible as the farmers in the state have to survive mostly on ground water received from Punjab Rivers in the north, the Narmada River in the south and the Agra Canals from Haryana and Uttar Pradesh are the water providing sources to the dry land. Northwestern Rajasthan is irrigated by the Indira Gandhi Canal. Irrigation is done through electric pumps.
Despite of this the traditional cropping pattern is still continuing by using camels and buffaloes. Nowadays farmers are using tractors for this purpose. The use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides has increased the crop productivity and nowthe state is self sufficient in the production of food grains.
The two major crops sown in the region are Rabi crops and Khariff Crops.
Rabi Crops: Also known as winter crops are mainly the crops depended on ground water irrigation. These are the crops which are cultivated in the months of October and November and are harvested in the months of March and April. The crops sown during rabi season are Barley, Wheat, Gram, Pulses and Oil Seeds. The major oil seeds are Rape and Mustard.
Khariff Crops: Also known as rainfed crops are sown in the months of June and July and harvested in the months of September and October. These are the crops which are totally depended on rains, where there is good rain there is bumper production. The crops of this season include Bajra, Pulses, Jowar, Maize and Ground Nuts.
The areas which have huge basket of water or have maximum water sources are involved in producing high-yielding varieties of rice.
Some area of Rajasthan has black soil which is suitable for the production of cash crops like cotton. In some areas vegetables and fruit crops are grown.
The major crops of Rajasthan can be mentioned as follows:
Bajra(Pennisetum typhoideum) is normally consumed by the rural poor, the tribal community migrating from one place to another. Rajasthan is the largest producer of bajra in India.
Juar(Sorghum vulgare) is an important pulse crop grown during the monsoon.
Gram(Cicer arietinum) is also one of the major pulse crop grown in rabi season.
Wheat(Triticum sp.) is the major crop of Rajasthan grown almost in whole state.
Barley(Hordeum vulgare) is the second largest crop in Rajasthan.
Maize(Zea mays) is mostly consumed by the Bhil tribes in the Aravalli region. In northern Rajasthan, maize is interestingly eaten with butter and the green leaf of the mustard plant.
Groundnut is an oilseed cash crop grown in khariff season.
Sesame (Sesamum indicum) Rajasthan is the second highest producer sesame in India.
Cotton(Gossypium sp.) recognized as a cash crop. Cotton has played an important role in making Rajasthani textile industry famous in world.
Agriculture Industry in Rajasthan
The Economy of the state of Rajasthan mainly depends on the agricultural sector for it accounts for almost 22.5% of the state's economy. In the state of Rajasthan, the total area that has been cultivated is around 20 million hectares and 20% of the area out of this is irrigated.
Rajasthan surprises most observers with its highly diversified agricultural produce. The State is India's largest producer of oilseeds (rapeseed & mustard), seed spices (coriander, cumin and fenugreek), coarse cereals and 'bajra' in India and accounts for close to 70% of the countries production of guar. The State is major producer of soybean, food grains, gram, groundnut and pulses.
Many kinds of fruits and vegetables are grown in Rajasthan. The agricultural farms are mainly irrigated with the help of tanks and wells. This sector has given a major boost to the Economy in Rajasthan.
Though there are vast tracts of the desert in western Rajasthan, the ecological environment is semi-arid; in eastern Rajasthan, where rivers and a lush green cover are present, there is more rain, and the seasonal crops are plentiful. In these harsh climatic conditions, women tend to the cattle and their milking, while the elderly or the young take them out to pastures for grazing.
In the past, when agriculture was a risky affair, it became necessary to raise cattle for survival, a tradition that has continued to grow, turning Rajasthan into one of the states that have benefited from the 'white revolution'. It is the men who work in the fields. Since most have land holdings that are not too large, the use of mechanized farming methods is still not in prevalence, though tractors are sometimes hired at the time of sowing. For most part, the farmers use a method of ploughing that dates back thousands of years to the Indus Valley Civilization. Camels, and sometimes buffaloes, are used for pulling the plough.
Three important crops grown here are wheat, corn and millets, with the last being used for baking breads in the villages, while those in larger towns show a preference for wheat flour. Pulses are another important crop, since this forms the basis of the lentils required for cooking meals. Sesame and groundnut are grown and are important sources of cooking oil.
The land is still not used for growing vegetables other than crops of potatoes, and more recently, tomatoes. However, the water of the Indira Gandhi Canal (Rajasthan Canal) is now helping in the cultivation of a handsome crop of citrus fruits, including tangerines, oranges and lemons.
Fresh vegetables have not formed a part of the traditional cuisine of the state therefore it is still not being grown. Dehydrated vegetables - sangri and gwarphali from the bean families and kakri from the cucumber family - can be eaten when fresh, or stored for use in later months, and village diets still consume these.
However, in recent years, with transport communications between towns, the availability of fresh vegetables in towns and cities has increased. The state also has large cultivations of watermelons, which is the perfect way of quenching one's thirst.
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