Major Crops of India

National Agriculture Day celebrated on the birthday (December 23) of Chaudari Charan Singh.
Woman Farmer day- October 15.

Kharif crops-
Monsoon crops usually sown with the beginning of 1st rains in July during SW monsoon. Major Crops are millets(bajra & jowar), cotton, soybean, sugarcane, turmeric, paddy, maize, moong(pulses), groundout, redchillies.

Rabi Crops-
Spring harvest/Winter crops.
Sown in October last harvested in March/April. Major Crops include wheat, barley, mustard, sesame, peas etc.

Zaid Crops-
Grown from March to June in some parts. Muskmelon, watermelon, vegetables of cucurbitacae family such as bitter gourd, pumpkin, ridged gourd etc.
Food grains-
Rice- Kharif crop cultivated in 1/3rd of India, provides food to half of the Indian population. Top producer are W. Bengal, Punjab & U.P.
Wheat- Rabi Crop, 2nd most used crop. Suitable soil for cultivation is well drained fertile loamy soil & clayey soil with plain areas. Top producers are U.P, Punjab & Haryana.
Coarse Cereals/Millets- short term Kharif crops used as food/fodder. Dry land crops grown in areas of high temperature. Less sensitive to soil deficiencies, can be grown on alluvial or loamy soils. Major crops are Jawar, Bajra & Ragi. Top producers - Maharashtra, Karnataka & Rajasthan.
Pulses- most are leguminus crops, provide proteins to the vegetarian population. Major pulses are Gram, tur(pigeon pie) or arhar(red gram), urd(black gram), mung(green gram), masur(lentil), kulthi(horse gram), matar(peas) etc.

Cash Crops-
Sugarcane- Kharif crop, belong to bamboo family grown in tropical & subtropical areas. Black soils of deccan & malwa plateau suits for it's cultivation.
Top producer are Gujarat, Maharashtra & Andhra Pradesh.
Ground Nut- most important oil seeds of India.
Cotton- fibre crop, cotton seed is used as vegetable oil & as a part of fodder for milk production.