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: Major Crops> Food Crops
- Rice is a kharif crop needing 150–300 cm rainfall and a warm climate; major producers are West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh.
- Wheat is a rabi crop requiring about 80 cm of rainfall, cool winters, and a warm harvest season; it is grown mainly in Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.
- Millets (jowar, bajra, ragi) are dry crops needing low rainfall and grow in the poor soils of semi-arid regions.
- Pulses need 20–25°C temperature and 50–75 cm rainfall, grow on light soils, and are mainly produced in MP, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh.
- India grows crops like rice, wheat, millets, maize, and pulses based on soil and climate conditions.
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.
