Introduction
- The Indian economy is mainly agricultural. Most of the country's population depends on agriculture. In it, the income from agriculture depends on the crop production. Therefore, the concept of "crop production" plays an important role in every field of agriculture.
Concept of crop production
- Crop production is the amount of agricultural crops obtained from a particular area. For example, if 30 quintals of wheat are obtained from one hectare of area, then the crop production of that field will be 30 quintals per hectare.
Importance of crop production
- Determines farmer's income
- Key factors of food security
- Impact on the country's agricultural policy
- Control of market prices
- Balance of exports and imports
Difference between production and productivity
Production: Indicates the total amount of crop produced
Productivity: How much production was produced from how much area
Example:
- If 300 quintals of rice are produced from 10 hectares of land, then total production = 300 quintals
Productivity = 30 quintals/hectare
Units of measurement of crop production
- Quintals per hectare
- Tons per hectare
- Kilograms per acre
- Acre and hectare are used to measure area.
What is production per hectare
- A hectare is a unit of area. One hectare is 10,000 sq. m. If 25 quintals of gram are produced from one hectare, then production = 25 quintals/hectare.
Factors affecting crop production
- Climate
- Soil
- Irrigation
- Fertilizer
- Weeds
- Pests
- Seeds
- Agricultural technology
Effect of weather
- Climate factors like rainfall, temperature, humidity, cold directly affect production. For example, gram grows well in cold weather.
Soil type and its fertility
- Black soil: Suitable for cotton
- Alluvial soil: Good for rice
- Use of organic fertilizer, compost, cow dung is necessary for fertility
Irrigation system
- Proper use of irrigation increases crop production. Example:
- Drip irrigation: Sugarcane, vegetables
- Frost irrigation: Wheat, millet
Fertilizer management
- Proper proportion of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K)
- Balanced use of organic and chemical fertilizers
- Example: Gram requires less nitrogen and more phosphorus
Pest control
- If crop-destroying insects are not controlled, there will be a big reduction in production
- Use of organic pesticides is beneficial
Weed management
- Weeds reduce the nutrients available to crops, resulting in reduced production.
- Example: Use of herbicides like pendamethalin
Seed quality
- Use of high quality certified seeds
- Choice of disease resistant varieties
Example: ‘Shri Dhanya – 4’ type of sorghum variety is productive.
Sowing time and methods
- Sowing at the right time increases production
- Ex: June-July sowing is beneficial for rice in the Kharif season
Use of modern agricultural technology
- Solar pump, soil testing, drone technology
- Farming in a scientific way increases production
Machinery and mechanization
- Tractor, seed sowing machine, harvester
- Saving time and labor
- Promoting production growth
Farmers' knowledge and training
- Benefit of guidance from agricultural universities, agricultural workers
- Information about modern measures is available
Crop rotation
- Avoid repeated production of the same crop in the same land
- Ex: Gram after rice, oilseeds after pulses
Intercropping method
- Combining two or more crops at the same time
- Ex: Maize + Gram
Organic farming and production
- Organic fertilizer, natural pesticides Use
- Improves soil health and increases production
Impact of government schemes and subsidies
- Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchan Yojana
- Benefits of Organic Farming Scheme
- Use of agricultural machinery subsidy schemes
Climate change and its impact
- Irregular monsoon, drought, flood
- Increases uncertainty in production
Research for increasing production
- Agricultural universities, ICAR institutes
- Research on new seeds
- Ex: drought resistant seeds
Conclusion
- Crop production depends not only on the farmer's hard work, but also on proper management, weather, soil type and technology. It is very important to increase crop production to meet the needs of the growing population and increase the income of farmers.
- Example:
- A farmer planted wheat on 2 hectares. He got 55 quintals of production.
- So production = 55/2 = 27.5 quintals/hectare
- If he uses proper fertilizer, irrigation, and technology, then production can be 35 quintals/hectare.
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