Key Points
Key Points: Types of Farming in India > Subsistence Farming
- Subsistence farming is done mainly to meet the food needs of the farmer and their family, not for sale.
- Landholdings are small and scattered, and farming is done using traditional tools and methods.
- It largely depends on monsoon rainfall, natural soil fertility and favourable weather conditions.
- Use of modern inputs like HYV seeds, fertilizers, irrigation and machinery is very limited.
- Productivity is low, food crops dominate, and there is usually no surplus for the market.
Key Points: Types of Farming in India > Commercial Farming
- Commercial farming is practised mainly to produce crops for sale in the market and profit.
- Cash crops like sugarcane, oilseeds, fibre crops and even food crops (rice, wheat) are grown on a large scale.
- Large landholdings, high capital investment and mechanised farming methods are used.
- Modern inputs such as HYV seeds, chemical fertilisers, pesticides and machinery are widely used.
- It is mainly practised in regions with developed market economy like Punjab, Haryana, Western UP, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh.
