Rabi Crops: Everything You Need to Know
There are plenty of crops grown in India. The Indian geography and favorable climatic conditions make it great for several crops to be grown at different times and seasons. One of them is the Rabi crops.
The write-up aims to furnish information on Rabi Crops. Develop a better knowledge base by gaining deep insight on various topics related to it.
We have included its meaning, features, growing and harvesting season, vegetables and fruit which are grown, alternative names, the difference from Kharif crops, and more.
Also, we have included the cropping pattern and major crops that are grown in India to instill a better understanding of the subject.
Also Read :- Types of Forest in India
Page Contents
What do you mean by Rabi Crops?
Rabi or winter crops refer to the crops which are grown in the winter season. They are sown in the winter season and harvested in the spring season.
They get favorable climatic conditions that make their cultivation easy in South East Asia.
The term “Rabi” has an Arabic origin from the word ‘spring’ which is widely used in the Indian subcontinent.
This is because Rabi crops have a spring harvest after being sown in the winter season.
Related Topic :- Kharif Crops
What are the features of Rabi Crops?
The prominent features of the Rabi or winter crops are as follows:-
- Rabi crops are grown in the winter season
- They need a warm climate for seed germination and cold climate for the growth of crops
- They require longer day lengths for flowering
- Rabi crop’s growth does not depend on the rainfall pattern
- They are sown in the months of October to December and harvested in the months of April to June
- Major areas of Rabi crop cultivation are Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh.
In which month Rabi crops are grown and harvested?
The Rabi crops are cultivated in the winter or cold season. They are sown at the advent of the winter season in the months of October to December.
Once fully-developed, the crops are harvested at the end of the winter or beginning of the spring season in the months of April to June.
Which fruits and vegetables are grown in Rabi Season?
The prominently grown Rabi crop in India is Wheat. Apart from it, there are various other cereals, fruits, vegetables and seeds grown in this season which are given in the table below:-
| Vegetables | Fruits | Crops | Pulses |
| Potato Tomato Onion Cauliflower Radish Spinach Sweet potato Turnip Matter Beans Beetroot Fenugreek Lettuce Cabbage Carrot Lady Finger Brinjal | Banana Ber Guava Laquat Grapes Dates Almonds Mulberry Grape Fruit Kinnu Lemon Mandrine Orange Mosambi Sour Lime Sour Orange Sweet Lime Other citrus fruits | Wheat Tobacco Rapseed and Mustard Linseed Gram Coriander Barley | Masoor Mattar Kulthi Moong Bean Pigeon Pea Urad bean |
What is the other name of Rabi crop?
Rabi crops are also known are winter crops. This is because they are developed in the winter season.
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Which is not a Rabi Crop?
Based on the time of their cultivation, crops are classified as Kharif, Rabi, and Zaid crops. A crop is not a Rabi crop when it is grown a season other than the winter season.
Difference between Kharif Crops and Rabi Crops
Crops are plants of similar origin that are sown at one place on a large scale. Every crop has specific requirements of the climatic conditions for proper growth.
The main seasonal crops are divided into two which are Kharif crops and Rabi crops. Let’s explore how the two differ.
| Basis of Distinction | Kharif Crops | Rabi Crops |
| Meaning | These are the crops which are sown at the beginning of the rainy season, e.g. between April and May. | They are the crops that are sown at the end of monsoon or at the beginning of winter season, e.g. between September and October. |
| Another Name | Kharif crops are known as monsoon crops. | Rabi crops are also known as winter crops or spring crops. |
| Dependency on rainfall | Kharif crops depend on the rainfall patterns. | Rabi crops are not affected by the rainfall patterns. |
| Major Crops | Rice, maize, cotton, Jowar, Bajra etc. | Wheat, gram, peas, barley etc. |
| Weather, Climate and water requirements | Kharif crops require a lot of water and hot weather to grow. | Rabi crops need warm climate for seed germination and cold climate for the growth of crops. |
| Flowering Duration | Kharif crop flowering requires shorter day length. | Rabi crop flowering requires longer day length. |
| Harvestings months | It has harvesting months from September to October. | It has harvesting months from March to April. |
What are the cropping pattern and major crops that are grown in India?
Agriculture is a vital part of the majority of Indian population and economy alongside.
The vastness of the country and climatic and weather conditions pave the way for various cropping patterns and types of crops grown.
The major crops in India are classified into the following:-
Food crops
These are the crops which provide food which humans require for consumption. It can be consumed by animals as well.
These mainly constitute of legumes, cereals, vegetables, fruits and tubers such as rice, wheat, grams, pulses etc.
Cash crops
Also, known as profit crops, cash crops are cultivated for commercial purposes. It is grown to be sold in the market to earn profits. They solely serve as a source of revenue for the cultivators.
The major cash crops grown in India are sugarcane, cotton, jute, tobacco, oilseeds etc.
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Major crops cultivated in India
Know more about the major food and cash crops that are grown in India. Develop a better understanding by exploring their characteristics and cultivation requirements.
The major crops grown in India are as follows:-
| WHEAT | ||
| Temperature | Sowing | 10-15 degrees Celsius |
| Ripening and Harvesting | 21-26 degrees Celsius | |
| Rainfall | Approximately 75 to 100 cms | |
| Top producer states | Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana | |
| Soil Types | Fertile loamy Clayey loamy | |
| The plains of Ganga and Sutlej Deccan region (black soil) | ||
| More information | ||
| India is the second-largest producer of wheat in the worldWheat is the second most important cereal and main food crop in India |
| RICE | |
| Temperature | 22 -32 degrees Celsius (High humidity) |
| Rainfall | Approximately 150 to 300 cms |
| Top producer states | Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar |
| Soil Types | Loamy Deep Clayey |
| More information | |
| Rice is the staple food crop for the majority of the Indian populationIndia is the second-largest producer of rice in the world |
| MAIZE | |
| Temperature | 21-27 degrees Celsius |
| Rainfall | High rainfall required |
| Top producer states | Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana |
| Soil Types | Old alluvial soil |
| More information | |
| India is the seventh-largest producer of maize in the worldMaize is used as a food by humans and as a fodder alongside |
| PULSES | |
| Temperature | 20-27 degrees Celsius |
| Rainfall | Approximately 25 to 60 cms |
| Top producer states | Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka |
| Soil Types | Sandy-loamy soil |
| More information | |
| India is the largest producer of pulses across the globe and the consumer as wellThe major pulses grown in India are urad, moong, toor, Masoor, peas and gram. |
| SUGARCANE | |
| Temperature | 21-27 degrees Celsius (hot and humid) |
| Rainfall | Approximately 75 to 100 cms |
| Top producer states | Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Bihar, Tamil Nadu |
| Soil Types | Deep rich loamy soil |
| More information | |
| India is the second-largest producer of sugarcane in the world after BrazilCultivating sugarcane involves complete manual labour |
| COTTON | |
| Temperature | 21-30 degrees Celsius |
| Rainfall | Approximately 50 to 100 cms |
| Top producer states | Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Telangana, Rajasthan |
| Soil Types | Black-cotton soil (Well-drained) |
| More information | |
| Cotton requires 6 to 8 months to mature and is a Kharif cropIt is one of the main raw material for the cotton textile industry and requires 210 frost-free days and bright sunlight |
| TEA | |
| Temperature | 20-30 degrees Celsius |
| Rainfall | Approximately 150 to 300 cms |
| Top producer states | West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu |
| Soil Types | Deep and fertile soil (well-drained) Humus and organic matter rich |
| More information | |
| India is the second-largest producer of tea in the worldIt requires intensive labour and was introduced by the British in the eastern hill slopes |
| OILSEEDS | |
| Temperature | 15-30 degrees Celsius |
| Rainfall | Approximately 30 to 75 cms |
| Top producer states | Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra |
| Soil Types | Loamy Clayey Loamy Well-drained sandy loams |
| More information | |
| Major oilseeds cultivated are mustard, groundnut, til, soybean, castor seeds, cotton seeds, linseed, sunflower and groundnutGroundnut, a Kharif crop, accounts for approximately half of the major oilseeds crops |
| RUBBER | |
| Temperature | 25 and above degrees Celsius (moist and humid climate) |
| Rainfall | Over 200 cms |
| Top producer states | Rich alluvial soil (well-drained) |
| Soil Types | Karnataka, Tamil, Kerala |
| More information | |
| It is an industrial raw material and is an equatorial cropAlso, it is grown as a tropical and subtropical areas |
Hello! My name is Mansi Shrivastava who happens to have a knack for writing. It has not always been what I admired but developing into a writer was something I appreciate the most now. When not glued to the computer screen, I love to try my hand in arts and crafts. Also, binge-watching with a bowl of snacks has always been my thing.
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