Cropping Pattern | Agriculture Optional Notes for UPSC PDF Download

Introduction

• The variety of crops cultivated in a specific region at a given period is referred to as the cropping pattern. This cropping pattern is determined by a combination of factors, including climatic conditions (such as temperature, rainfall, and wind), soil quality, pricing and market demand, labor availability, historical context, and more.
• For instance, in areas with favorable monsoon conditions, rice is extensively grown. However, in regions with weak monsoons, millets are preferred over rice. In specific areas, like Maharashtra for cotton, Assam for tea, and West Bengal for jute, certain crops like cotton, tea, and jute dominate due to highly conducive cultivation conditions.

Factors Affecting Cropping Pattern

The choice of crops grown in a particular area is influenced by a variety of factors, encompassing physical and technical elements, economic considerations, government policies, and historical aspects.
These key factors include:

• Geographic Elements
• Economic Considerations
• Political Factors and Government Policies
• Historical Aspects

Geographical Factors

The various Geographical factors affecting the cropping pattern of an area are:

1. Relief:

• The topography or relief of an area plays a significant role in determining its cropping pattern.
• Irrigated hill terraces are primarily used for cultivating rice through a method known as terraced cultivation.
• Crops such as tea and coffee thrive on well-drained slopes that receive a substantial amount of rainfall.
• In regions with ample irrigation and a relatively warm climate, rice (considered a tropical crop) and sugarcane are the predominant crops.
• Wheat, classified as a temperate crop, flourishes in flat areas with moderate temperatures and rainfall.

2. Temperature:

• The temperature plays a crucial role in crop cultivation as most crops have specific temperature requirements during different stages of their growth.
• Many crops need lower temperatures during the sowing phase and higher temperatures during the ripening phase.
• Some crops, such as Kharif crops like rice and cotton, necessitate higher temperatures and are typically sown during the summer season. These crops experience most of their growth during the rainy season and are planted just before the onset of the south-west monsoons.
• Conversely, there are crops, referred to as rabi crops, that require lower temperatures and moisture. These crops are sown during the winter season, and examples include wheat.
• Sugarcane, for instance, yields better results in South India compared to the northern plains, primarily due to its preference for warmer climates.

3. Rainfall: Rainfall is a primary determinant of the cropping pattern in a given area, as it significantly influences the choice of crops for cultivation.
Variations in rainfall across different regions lead to distinct cropping patterns, as described below:

• Areas of Heavy Rainfall:
  • These regions receive more than 150 cm of annual rainfall.
  • Examples include East India and the Western Coastal Plains.
  • High animal populations are supported due to the availability of fodder and grazing areas.
  • Major crops in these areas comprise rice, tea, coffee, sugarcane, and jute.
• Areas of Medium Rainfall:
  • These regions receive between 75 to 150 cm of annual rainfall.
  • Annual rainfall of around 150 cm is suitable for rice cultivation, while approximately 75 cm is appropriate for maize, cotton, and soybean.
  • These areas are rich in natural resources and include the eastern part of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha, eastern parts of Madhya Pradesh, and the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra.
  • Wheat is the primary rabi crop in these regions, and millets are preferred due to their lower water requirements.
  • Major crops in these areas include wheat, maize, cotton, soybean, and millets.
• Areas of Low Rainfall:
  • These regions receive between 25 to 75 cm of annual rainfall, such as the semi-arid stretches of India.
  • Key crops in this belt include millets, jowar in the northern regions, jowar in central areas, and ragi in the southern part.
  • Wheat is the primary rabi crop grown in irrigated areas.
  • Mixed cropping is prevalent, with pulses often combined with cereals.
  • Cropping is diversified in a way that prevents any single crop from dominating.
  • Dry land farming is a common practice in this region.
  • Major crops grown in low rainfall areas encompass millets, oilseeds (e.g., groundnut, sunflower, rapeseed, and mustard), and pulses.

4. Soil:

• The type of soil in a region is a crucial factor that determines the choice of crops for cultivation.
• Different crops have distinct soil requirements for their growth and development.
• Rice thrives in clayey soils, while loamy soils are considered ideal for wheat cultivation.
• The regur soil found in the Deccan Plateau is well-suited for growing cotton.
• Coarse grains like jowar, bajra, maize, ragi, and barley are typically cultivated in less fertile soils, including light sandy soils, light black soils, red and laterite soils, and similar types.
• The delta soils of West Bengal, which are periodically replenished by floods, are exceptionally fertile and perfect for jute cultivation. In this region, farmers can grow 2-3 crops per year.
• Soils in the Darjeeling hills contain adequate amounts of humus, iron, potash, and phosphorus, essential for the growth of tea bushes.

Economic Factors

Economic considerations play a pivotal role in shaping a country's cropping patterns. Among the various economic factors influencing cropping choices, the key determinants include irrigation, power supply, landholding size, crop prices, farmer income, insurance, and investments.

1. Irrigation:

• In regions with dependable irrigation and warm climates, rice emerges as a dominant crop. This is particularly observed in coastal plains and well-irrigated areas of South India.
• The northern plains of India, with ample irrigation, can support multiple rice crops in a single year.
• Certain well-irrigated regions have witnessed limited crop diversification, leading to rice domination in South India and wheat dominance in the northwestern part of the country. Coarse grains like jowar, bajra, maize, barley, and ragi have received relatively less attention in these areas.

2. Size of Land Holdings:

• Small landholders typically focus on cultivating food grains for subsistence, meeting their family's needs.
• Farmers with larger land holdings have the flexibility to engage in cash crops, promoting crop diversification and potentially altering the cropping pattern (commercial farming). However, even with the potential for diversification, larger holdings tend to favor monoculture of crops like rice and wheat.

3. Insurance against Risk:

• Minimizing the risk of crop failures is a driving force behind crop diversification and specific features of cropping patterns.
• In Southern states, the extensive cultivation of plantation crops is influenced by the availability of suitable crop insurance schemes.

4. Availability of Inputs:

• Access to essential inputs such as seeds, fertilizers, water storage, marketing facilities, and transportation also has a significant impact on the cropping pattern of a region.

5. Value:

• In hilly regions of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, millets are being replaced by high-value horticulture crops like apples.

6. Demand:

• In densely populated areas, rice remains a preferred crop due to the presence of a ready market and high demand.

Political Factors/Government Policies

• Government policies, both in terms of legislation and administration, have the potential to impact the choice of crops for cultivation. This influence can be observed through various government acts, including Food Crops Acts, Land Use Acts, and the implementation of intensive schemes for specific crops like paddy, cotton, and oilseeds. Additionally, subsidies play a role in shaping the cropping pattern.
• Governments can actively encourage or discourage the cultivation of certain crops for a variety of reasons, including responding to issues like drought, flooding, or inflation.
• The Minimum Support Price (MSP) policy is a critical factor. Crops such as rice and wheat, which receive higher MSP rates, are preferred by farmers over other food crops. These price supports offered by the government significantly influence farmers' decisions regarding what to grow.

Historical Factors

• The cropping pattern of a region can be significantly influenced by historical factors, including the long-standing cultivation of specific crops due to various historical circumstances. For example, the British promoted tea plantations in the Kangra Valley in Uttarakhand.
• Sugarcane is extensively cultivated in North India, even though the most favorable conditions exist in South India. This discrepancy can be traced back to British policies that encouraged sugarcane cultivation as an alternative to indigo. Indigo lost its significance and market in states like Uttar Pradesh with the introduction of artificial dyes.
• The period following the Green Revolution witnessed the diversification of crops due to surplus food grain production. This diversification brought about significant changes in the cropping pattern. In addition to rice and wheat, the prominence of oilseeds and pulses also increased.