Agriculture is a civilized way of living in which human beings consciously utilise soil for survival. Agriculture has been the main source of livelihood for man since ancient times. The English word agriculture is derived from the Latin words agar meanining land and culture meaning cultivation. Our vast and diverse country is rich in resources. Industrialization in India began with the processing of resources with the help of technology and the production of crops from our own country. India is an agricultural country in which two-third of the population depend on agriculture for their livelihood. Apart from food crops, a wide variety of agricultural crops for industry are unique to India.

There are mainly three seasonal crops in India. According to the seasons, the agricultural crops are divided into three categories namely Kharif, Rabi and Zaid. In South Asian countries, including India, Rabi crops are plants that are planted in winter and harvested in summer. They are sown in October-November after the monsoon and harvested in April-May. Wheat is an important Rabi crop in India. It is believed that the name 'Rabi' was derived from the beginning of the Mughal Empire as the word 'Rabbi' in Arabic means spring. Winter-dependent crops are commonly referred to as Rabi crops. They thrive in well-drained soil. These are often destroyed by winter rains. Rabi crops include wheat, barley, oats, jute, cumin, fennel, coriander, mustard, yam, peas, onions, tomatoes, potatoes and pulses.

Kharif crops or monsoon crops are plants grown during the monsoon season in South Asian countries, including India. They are sown at the beginning of the southwest monsoon and harvested at the end of the monsoon. Paddy is an important Kharif crop in India. Kharif crops are grown in Asian countries at the beginning of the southwest monsoon. Kharif cultivation in India generally starts in the months of June-July. They are also harvested during the months of September-October. It is believed that rain-fed agriculture got its name 'Kharif' at the beginning of the Mughal period. In Arabic, the word 'Kharif' means autumn. Crops that depend on the monsoon (rain) are generally called Kharif crops. Fluctuations in rainfall availability can adversely affect Kharif agriculture. The major Kharif crops are paddy, sesame, sugarcane, cotton, groundnut, jute, maize, ragi, bajra, jowar, soybean, millet, turmeric and some pulses.

Zaid crops are plants that are planted in summer and harvested before monsoon in South Asian countries, including India. Zaid cultivation starts in March and harvest is done in June. Although it grows in hot climates, Zaid crops also need the right amount of water. Zaid crops are grown between the monsoon-dependent Kharif cultivation and the snow-dependent Rabi cultivation. Fruits and vegetables are examples of Zaid crops. Summer-dependent agricultural crops are commonly referred to as Zaid crops. The main crops grown are pumpkin, cucumber, squash, watermelon and squash.

Small grains are called cereals. Food crops include jowar, bajra and ragi which belong to the category of cereals. The various agricultural crops in India can be classified as food crops and cash crops. Food crops are crops that are used directly as food. But cash crops are those crops of commercial and industrial importance.

Uttar Pradesh is the largest producer of pulses in India. Pulses are also grown in Punjab, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Bihar. In addition to food crops, many crops such as sugarcane, cotton, jute, tea, coffee, oilseeds, tobacco and rubber are also produced as raw materials for industrial purposes.

Jute industry

Jute is a fiber crop. Jute grows in hot and humid conditions. High temperatures and rainfall below 150 cm are essential for jute cultivation. It requires well-drained loamy soil. The main production area is the Ganga-Brahmaputra Delta in West Bengal. Jute is mainly grown in West Bengal, Assam and parts of Odisha. India is the second largest producer of jute after Bangladesh. Jute, also known as golden yarn, is a cash crop that earns foreign exchange like cotton. The Jute Corporation of India was established in 1971 with its headquarters in Kolkata to maintain the price level of raw jute and to promote the trade of jute products in the international market.

Tea and Coffee

India is the largest producer of tea. Tea plants were discovered in 1823 by British Major Robert Bruce on the slopes of Assam. Coffee seedlings were first brought to India from Arabia by Baba Budhan, a Muslim scholar in the 17th century. Coffee plants were first planted on the slopes of Chikmagalur in Karnataka.

Spices

India has been famous for its spices like cardamom, pepper, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger since the ancient times. India has had trade relations with foreign countries before many years and the main export was spices. The Europeans' love of spices prompted them to find a way to India by sea. The reason why Europeans competed to establish colonies in India was because of their unquenchable love for spices.

Sugarcane and rubber

Sugarcane, a tropical crop, prefers hot and rainy climates. Soil types like black soil and loamy soil are suitable for sugarcane cultivation. India is the second largest producer of sugarcane. Rubber cultivation requires temperatures above 25 degree celsius and rainfall above 150 cm. Kerala is the largest rubber producing state in India. It is an important source of income in Kerala. Rubber is cultivated on a small scale in some parts of Tamil Nadu and in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.