Crops · Landholdings · Revolutions · MSP/CACP/FCI · Horticulture · Schemes — SSC / Railway / UPSC / BPSC
Organic and natural farming both reduce synthetic-input dependence but are distinct approaches: certified organic practices versus locally available biological inputs/minimal external inputs. Sikkim is India's first fully organic state.
| Rabi (Winter) | Kharif (Monsoon) | Zaid (Summer) |
|---|---|---|
| Wheat, Chickpea, Barley, Mustard, Pea | Paddy, Jowar (Sorghum), Bajra, Maize, Cotton, Sesame, Soybean, Pigeon Pea (Arhar), Groundnut, Moong, Urad | Watermelon, Cucumber, Muskmelon |
Commercial Crops: Groundnut, Mustard, Sesame, Sugarcane, Jute, Mesta, Tea, Coffee. Cash Crops: Jute, Sugarcane, Cotton, Tobacco. GM Crop: Bt Cotton, the only GM crop commercially approved for cultivation in India.
| Type | Size |
|---|---|
| Marginal holdings | Less than 1 hectare |
| Small holdings | 1–2 hectares |
| Semi-medium holdings | 2–4 hectares |
| Medium holdings | 4–10 hectares |
| Large holdings | More than 10 hectares |
Marginal holdings are most numerous; much traditional smallholder farming is subsistence/semi-subsistence and increasingly linked with markets.
| Source | Share |
|---|---|
| Tube Wells | 48% of net irrigated area (2023–24) |
| Canals | 21% of net irrigated area (2023–24) |
| Other Wells | 15% of net irrigated area (2023–24) |
State with most irrigation by ponds: Tamil Nadu.
| Plan | Actual Growth (%) |
|---|---|
| Second Plan | 3.59% |
| Fifth Plan | 3.97% |
| Seventh Plan | 3.06% |
| Eighth Plan | 4.88% |
| Eleventh Plan | 4.27% |
| Twelfth Plan (target, not actual) | 4.0% |
| Type | Duration |
|---|---|
| Short-term | Less than 15 months |
| Medium-term | 15 months to 5 years |
| Long-term | More than 5 years; actual tenors depend on purpose/lender |
Land Development Bank: Provides long-term credit to the agricultural sector. Commercialisation of Agriculture: shift toward production for market sale rather than self-consumption, increasing market orientation and marketed surplus.
Rainbow Revolution: A holistic mix of all revolutions.
| Revolution | Sector / Product |
|---|---|
| White | Milk Production |
| Yellow | Oilseed Production |
| Round | Potato |
| Blue | Fish |
| Red | Meat / Tomato |
| Pink | Prawn / Onion |
| Black | Petroleum |
| Grey | Fertiliser |
| Silver | Egg |
| Golden | Horticulture |
| Saffron | Solar Energy |
Apex institution for providing finance for agriculture and rural development.
Advises the government on fixing agricultural product prices; mandated to recommend MSPs.
Announced by government on CACP's recommendation, for 22 mandated crops + FRP for sugarcane (14 Kharif, 6 Rabi, 2 other commercial crops):
FRP (Fair and Remunerative Price) is specific to sugarcane pricing.
CAPART: Formed in 1986 by merging PADI (People's Action for Development India) and CART (Council for Advancement of Rural Technology) — supports voluntary action and technological innovation in rural development.
Includes flowers, vegetables, root crops, fruits, spices, medicinal plants.
India is known as the "Land of Spices"; Kerala is the "Spice Garden of India."
National Fisheries Development Board: Established 2006, HQ Hyderabad.
Maharashtra is India's leading producer of dry onion and a major onion-producing state.
Top items under Agri Exports: Cereals, Spices, Marine Products.
| Product | Export Areas |
|---|---|
| Basmati Rice (recognised GI region) | Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Delhi, specified Western UP districts and Jammu & Kashmir |
| Spices | Kerala |
| Mango | Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra |
| Vegetables | Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal |
| Onion | Maharashtra |
National Policy for Farmers, 2007, based on recommendations of the National Commission on Farmers; distinct from the National Agriculture Policy, 2000.
| Scheme | Started | Objective |
|---|---|---|
| National Food Security Mission (NFSM) | 2007 | Increase rice, wheat, pulses production by 10, 8, 2 MT respectively |
| Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana | 2007–08 | Encourage states for comprehensive agricultural/allied sector development |
| National Mission on Food Processing (historical) | 2012 | Increase farmers' income; store food items longer |
| National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) | 2014 | Sustainable agricultural development |
| National Programme for Dairy Development | February 2014 | Strengthen organised milk procurement, quality testing/chilling, processing, value addition and marketing infrastructure |
| Soil Health Card Scheme | February 2015 | Provide soil health cards to farmers |
| Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana | 1st July 2015 | Enhance irrigation access ("more crop per drop"); expand cultivable land |
| Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana | Introduced 2016; implemented from Kharif 2016 | Compensation for crop loss due to natural calamities |
| e-NAM Scheme | 2016 | Provide fair price for farmers' produce |
| Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana | Approved May 2017; renamed Kisan SAMPADA on 31 May 2017 | Reduce food wastage, increase farmers' income |
| Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi | 2019 | Income support of ₹6000 annually in 3 instalments |
| Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan-Dhan Yojana | 12 September 2019 | ₹3000/month pension after 60 years for small/marginal farmers (aged 18–40) |
| Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana | 10 September 2020 | Sustainable fisheries: productivity, value chains, quality, income, employment and fisher welfare |
| Topic | Key Fact |
|---|---|
| Agriculture — List | Subject of State list | Backbone of Indian economy | Primary sector |
| Sikkim | India's first fully organic state |
| Agriculture GDP share | ~55.4% around 1950–51; ~16% agriculture/allied GDP share FY 2023–24 (Economic Survey 2024–25) |
| Population in Agriculture | Workforce: 54.6% (Census 2011); 46.1% (Economic Survey 2025–26) |
| India's Farming Type | Traditional smallholders: subsistence/semi-subsistence, increasingly market-linked |
| GM Crop in India | Bt Cotton (only GM crop commercially approved for cultivation) |
| Marginal Holdings | Less than 1 hectare | India has highest number |
| Gross Irrigated Area | 59.9% (2023–24) of gross cropped area |
| Most Irrigated State (%) | Punjab |
| Mizoram Irrigated Share (2023–24) | ~10.0% of gross cropped area |
| Largest Gross Un-irrigated Area (2023–24) | Rajasthan |
| Major Irrigation Source | Net irrigated area, 2023–24: Tube-wells 48%; canals 21%; other wells 15% |
| Most Irrigation by Ponds | Tamil Nadu |
| Land Reform Successful States | Kerala and West Bengal |
| Abolition of Zamindari | Uttar Pradesh |
| Green Revolution — Started | Mid-1960s; HYV Programme 1966–67 |
| Father of Green Revolution (World) | Norman Borlaug (Mexico) |
| Father of Green Revolution (India) | Dr. M.S. Swaminathan |
| Green Revolution — Birth Place | Pantnagar (Uttarakhand) |
| White Revolution (Operation Flood) | 1970 | Dr. Verghese Kurien |
| NABARD | 1982 | HQ: Mumbai | CRAFICARD, chaired by B. Sivaraman | Kisan Credit Card: 1998 (model KCC scheme circulated August 1998) |
| CACP | Established 1965 as APC | Renamed 1985 | HQ: New Delhi |
| MSP — Started | 1966–67 | 22 mandated crops |
| FCI | Established 1965 | Purchase, Storage, Transport, Distribution, Sale of food grains |
| TPDS | Established 1997 | Affordable grains to people |
| National Food Security Act | Effective 5 July 2013; up to 75% rural and 50% urban population; all 36 States/UTs by November 2016 |
| National Commission on Farmers | Formed 2004 | Chairman: M.S. Swaminathan | Report 2006 |
| National Horticulture Board | Established 1984 | HQ: Gurugram (Haryana) |
| National Horticulture Mission | Started 2005–06 |
| India — Dairy | World's largest milk producer; Uttar Pradesh largest milk-producing state in 2024–25 |
| India — Fisheries | Second-largest producer | Top state: Andhra Pradesh |
| International Year of Millets | 2023 (declared by UN) |
| Leading Dry-Onion Producer | Maharashtra |
| APEDA | Established 1986 | Top agency for agri export areas |
| NAFED | Established 1958 | National Agri Cooperative Marketing Federation of India |
| TRIFED | Established 1987 | Functioning 1988 | Tribal Cooperative Marketing |
| Agricultural Export Policy | 2018 historical targets: US$60+ billion by 2022, US$100 billion in following years |
| ATMA | Established 2005 | New technologies for farmers |
| National Policy for Farmers (2007) | National Policy for Farmers (2007), based on National Commission on Farmers recommendations |
| FSSAI | Act 2006 | Established 2008 | Science-based food standards |
| India — Spices | Largest producer | Kerala → Spice Garden of India |
| Agriculture share in exports | About 11.2% (FY 2024–25, agri-food incl. processed food) |