A compact, tabular revision of major Indian crops, their leading producing States and the growing conditions they need, for CAPF Paper I geography and economy
Cover the right columns and recall the leading State and crop conditions. CAPF tests crop-to-State matching and the cropping season. Leading-producer rankings shift with the season, so verify the latest for any "largest producer" claim. For soils see soils of india table.
| Season | Sowing and harvest | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Kharif | Sown with the monsoon (June-July), harvested autumn | Rice, maize, cotton, jowar, bajra, groundnut, soyabean |
| Rabi | Sown winter (October-December), harvested spring | Wheat, gram, mustard, barley, peas |
| Zaid | Short summer season between rabi and kharif | Watermelon, cucumber, fodder, some vegetables |
| Crop | Leading States | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Rice | West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab | High temperature and rainfall; clayey soil |
| Wheat | Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh | Cool growing season, warm ripening; loam |
| Maize | Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, others | Moderate rainfall; alluvial and red soil |
| Pulses (gram) | Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra | Dry, rain-fed; nitrogen-fixing |
| Bajra and Jowar | Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka | Dry, sandy and inferior soils |
| Crop | Leading States | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Cotton | Gujarat, Maharashtra, Telangana | Black (regur) soil; high temperature, light rainfall |
| Sugarcane | Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka | Hot and humid; deep rich soil |
| Jute | West Bengal, Bihar, Assam | High temperature, heavy rainfall; alluvial |
| Tea | Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala | Cool hills, well-drained slopes, heavy rainfall |
| Coffee | Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu | Hill slopes, shade; Karnataka leads |
| Rubber | Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Tripura | Hot, humid equatorial-type climate |
| Groundnut | Gujarat, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu | Light, sandy and well-drained soil |
| Tobacco | Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka | Warm climate, well-drained soil |
| Spices (pepper, cardamom) | Kerala, Karnataka | Western Ghats hill climate |
| Fact | Answer |
|---|---|
| Leading rice State | West Bengal (verify the latest) |
| Leading wheat State | Uttar Pradesh (verify the latest) |
| Leading sugarcane State | Uttar Pradesh |
| Leading cotton State | Gujarat / Maharashtra (verify the latest) |
| Soil best for cotton | Black (regur) soil |
| Crop called the "golden fibre" | Jute |
| State leading in tea | Assam |