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Which are the important non food crops of India?

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A nonfood crop or an industrial crop or a cash crop is a crop cultivated for commercial purposes to make goods for manufacturing. These are also known as cash crops. They provide more income to the farm sector and help in the economic development of rural areas. 

Major Non-food Crops of India

The important non-food crops of India include the following:

Tea

China is the first largest tea producer in the world followed by  India in 2nd place. India utilizes  30% of world tea produced and  India is the largest consumer of tea in the world.  China is the largest exporter of tea whereas  India stands in the second position.

Tea-producing states in India are Assam, West Bengal, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Nagaland, Kerala, Manipur, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Karnataka, Mizoram, and Orissa. Tea is the “state drink” of Assam. In India

Coffee

It is largely raised in hill tracts of South India. Karnataka state produces nearly 71% of coffee followed by Kerala which produces 21 % of coffee. In India coffee is raised in different regions which are as follows 

  • The first region comprises Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu these are traditional coffee-growing states.
  • The second region comprises Non-traditional coffee-growing states are  Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.
  • The third region comprises of Northeastern part of the country i.e. seven sister states of India which include the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Tripura Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Nagaland.

Nearly 50 % of the yearly production of coffee is utilized in India and the other 50 % is sent to the United Kingdom, Belgium, Germany, Iraq, Australia, and Holland. The largest producer of coffee in India Karnataka and  Kerala and Tamilnadu occupies the 2nd and 3rd ranks.

Tobacco

In India tobacco was introduced by the Portuguese. Tobacco is currently an important non-food crop grown on 0.4 million hectares in India. India is  3rd major producer of tobacco in the world, whereas China and Brazil occupied the top two positions. India is the 5th major tobacco exporter in the world. In India Bihar, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh,  Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu are the main tobacco-raising states.

To enhance the research activities and tobacco production in India, the Government of India established an ICTC( Indian Central Tobacco Committee ). In 1947 CTRI -Central Tobacco Research Institute was established under the ICTC, Madras. In 1965  Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) started to operate the institute. It is located at Rajamahendravaram of Andhra Pradesh in  India.

Oilseeds

Oilseed crops are the second major significant crops that contribute to the agricultural economy after cereals under the field crops segment. Due to Yellow Revolution, India attained self-sufficiency in oilseeds attained during the early 1990s. Sam Pitroda is considered as Father of the yellow revolution in India. India is the  5th  largest producer of oilseed crop production in the world. India contributes about 15-20 % of global oilseeds. In India, Madhya Pradesh had the highest oilseeds production in the fiscal year 2016.

In India, oilseed crops are raised in Bihar, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, and Punjab, Uttar Pradesh.

Cotton

India is 3rd largest producer of cotton in the world contributing to about 24% of cotton production in the world. India is the first to country raise a cotton hybrid. In India, Gujarat ranks 1 in cotton production. In India cotton is raised in 10 states which are divided into three different zones, They are the north zone, the central zone, and the south zone.

  • Rajasthan, Punjab, and Haryana are under the North zone.
  • Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra are under the central zone.
  • Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Tamilnadu Karnataka are under the South zone.
  • Now  Eastern state, Orissa is also focusing on raising cotton crops.

Cotton is also raised in minor regions of non-traditional States such as Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.

Jute

Next to cotton, Jute is a major natural fiber crop in India. Once Raw jute was mainly used by industries as a source of raw material for packing purposes. But now it is used as a raw material for various applications like paper industries,  building and automotive industries, and textile industries, it is used to prevent erosion of soil. Raw jute is bio-degradable and is a renewable source. India is the major jute-making country in the world. it is mainly raised in West Bengal,  Bihar, Assam, Orissa, and some parts of Uttar Pradesh. A large number of jute mills are located near Kolkata.

The largest exporter of raw jute in Bangladesh. 

Rubber

India currently ranks 6th in the production of natural rubber in the world and in consumption of natural rubber  India occupies 2nd place in the world. Kerala and Tamil Nadu together contribute nearly  81% of rubber production in India. Important non-traditional rubber-producing regions are Meghalaya, Tripura, Assam, Odisha, Karnataka, West Bengal, and Maharashtra. Nearly 70% of processed rubber is sheet rubber. Block rubber comprises 17% and latex comprises 12%  of rubber production in the country.

Malaysia is the chief producer of rubber in the world. In India, Kerala occupies rank 1 by producing 95 % of rubber.

Silk

India is 2nd major producer of silk in the world after China. In India four varieties of silk are produced they are Mulberry silk, Tasar silk, Eri silk, and Muga silk. In India, silk is raised in Karnataka, Assam, Bihar, Kashmir, and West Bengal. Silkworm is reared by feeding on mulberry leaves and leaves of the castor plant. Silkworm produces cocoons, These cocoons when boiled, give the silk thread.

FAQs on Nonfood Crops of India

Q 1. Define cash crops.

Answer-

 A nonfood crop or an industrial crop is a crop cultivated for commercial purposes to make goods for manufacturing. These are also known as cash crops. They provide more income to the farm sector and help in the economic development of rural areas.

Q 2. What is the Yellow Revolution?

Answer-

 Yellow revolution was launched at beginning of the 1990s. The main aim is to increase the manufacturing of edible oil, mainly sesame seeds, and mustard seeds to attain self-sufficiency in oilseed production. Sam Pitroda is considered the father of the Yellow Revolution in India.

Q 3. What are the 4 varieties of silk produced in India?

Answer-

 India is 2nd major producer of silk in the world after China. In India four varieties of silk are produced they are Mulberry silk, Tasar silk, Eri silk, and Muga silk.


Last Updated : 02 Jun, 2023
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