| S.No. | Name of the crop | Importance, Season Type of crop | Top states in 2011 and how much they contribute to total grains production(each in % to total) | Reasons both natural and other factors that account for major share of production |
| 1 | Paddy | It is staple food crop of a majority of the people of India. India is the second largest producer of rice. It is a Kharif crop. | Grown in North and North-eastern states, coastal areas and the deltaic regions. West Bengal 16% Punjab 13% Uttar Pradesh 12% Telangana and Andhra Pradesh 12% Odisha 8% | 1)High temperature - 25°C high humidity and heavy rainfall(above 100cm) is required.
2) Alluvium soils are suitable.
3)Canal irrigation and tubewells made it possible to grow rice in less rainfall areas of Punjab. |
| 2 | Wheat | It is the main food crop of North and North-western parts of India. This is the second most cereal crop.
It is grown in rabi season. | Grown in the Ganga-Satluj plains in the northwest and black soil regions of the Deccan.
Uttar Pradesh(34%) Punjab(19%) Haryana(13%) Madhya Pradesh(10%) Rajasthan(9%). | 1) It require a cool growing season.
2) Bright sunshine is required at the time of ripening.
3) It requires 50-75 cms of annual rainfall evenly distributed over the growing season. |
| 3 | Millets and other cereals | Ragi is rich in iron, calcium, other micro nutrients and roughage.
Jowar is the third most important crop.
It is grown both in Kharif as well as rabi seasons.
India is the largest producer of Bajra | Karnataka is the largest producer followed by Tamilnadu.
Maharashtra is the largest producer of jowar followed by Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Madhya Pradesh.
Rajasthan ranks first in the production of Bajra followed by U.P., Gujrat, Maharashtra and Haryana.
Maharashtra(19%), Karnataka(18%), Rajasthan(12%), Andhra Pradesh and Telangana(10%) Uttar Pradesh(9%) | Ragi requires between 50 cm and 100 cm of rainfall, 25°C - 35°C temperature is necessary.
Jowar requires rainfall less than 100 cms.
Between 50cm and 100 cm of rainfall is necessary for bajra; Temperature between 25°C - 35°C is required. |
| 4 | Maize | It is used both as food and fodder. It is a Kharif crop. | Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, U.P., M.P. and Bihar are major maize producing states.
Karnataka (18%), Andhra Pradesh and Telangana(17%), Maharashtra(11%), Bihar(9%). | 1) Grows well in old alluvial soil.
2) Requires temperature between 21°C - 27°C.
3) Grows well in areas where rainfall is between 75 cm to 100 cm. |
| 5 | Pulses | 1) India is the largest producer as well as the consumer of pulses in the world.
2) These are the major source of protein in a vegetarian diet.
3) Leguminous crop and restore soil fertility by fixing nitrogen. | Madhya Pradesh (29%), Maharashtra(16%), Uttar Pradesh(13%), Telangana and Andhra Pradesh(10%) Karnataka (8%) | They are grown in rotation with other crops. |
| 6 | Sugarcane | 1) Tropical and subtropical crop.
2) Needs manual labour from sowing to harvesting. | India is the second largest producer.
U.P., Maharshtra, Karnataka and Tamilnadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab and Haryana are major growing states.
Uttar Pradesh(40%), Maharashtra(22%), Karnataka(10%), Tamilnadu(10%). | 1) Grows well in hot and humid climate.
2) Requires a temperature of 21°C to 27°C.
3) Rainfall between 75 cm to 100cm. |
| 7 | Oilseeds | They account for 12 % of the cropped area. | T.S., A.P., Tamilnadu, Karnataka, Gujarat, Maharashtra are major growing states.
Madhya Pradesh(31%), Rajasthan(18%), Gujarat(13%), Maharashtra(11%), Telangana and Andhra Pradesh(6%) | Some are grown in kharif season and others are grown in rabi season. |
| 8 | Cotton | It is the main raw material for cotton industry. | Major cotton growing states are Gujarat, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana.
Gujarat(33%), Maharashtra(24%), Telangana and Andhra Pradesh(13%), Punjab(8%), Haryana(8%) | 1) Grows well in drier parts of the black cotton soils of the Deccan Plateau.
2) High temperature and light rainfall.
3) 210 frost free days are necessary. |
