Test: Agriculture - 1 - UPSC

The major rabi crop in India is wheat, followed by barley, mustard, sesame and peas.

The Rabi means, when the crop is harvested. Crops that are grown in the winter season, from November to April are called Rabi Crops. Some of the important rabi crops are wheat, barley, peas, gram and mustard.

These crops are typically sown in June, during the initial period of monsoon and harvested by September. Hence, Kharif crops are also called monsoon crops.

Rabi season

The major rabi crop in India is wheat, followed by barley, mustard, sesame and peas. Peas are harvested early, as they are ready early: Indian markets are flooded with green peas from January to March, peaking in February.

Due to variation in soil and climate a variety of crops grow in different parts of the country

Transport and communication play an important role in commercial farming.

Slash and burn agriculture is a widely used method of growing food in which wild or forested land is clear cut and any remaining vegetation burned. The resulting layer of ash provides the newly-cleared land with a nutrient-rich layer to help fertilize crops.

 The Kharif crops include rice or paddy, maize, sorghum, pearl millet/bajra, finger millet/ragi (cereals), arhar (pulses), soybean, groundnut (oilseeds), cotton etc. 

Explanation: While it's true that rice is grown in the plains of the north, the reason isn't solely due to high rainfall. Rice cultivation requires a lot of water, but it also depends on temperature, soil type, and availability of labor. Moreover, rice is also grown in regions with less rainfall with the help of irrigation. Therefore, while rainfall is a factor, it's not the sole or primary reason for rice cultivation in the northern plains.

Agriculture is an important sector of Indian economy as it contributes about 17% to the total GDP and provides employment to over 60% of the population.

The top Grapes producing states include Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Mizoram. The most grown variety of grapes is Thompson Seedless and its clones. The grapes varieties which have been given GI(Geographical indications) protection are Nashik Grapes and Bangalore Blue Grapes.