Kharif & Rabi Seasons

India is likely to harvest a record production of pulses, oilseeds and coarse cereals in this year's kharif season on higher acreage under these crops so far despite the prediction of a deficient monsoon, says Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh.

The agricultural crop year in India is from July to June. The Indian cropping season is classified into two main seasons-(i) Kharif and (ii) Rabi based on the monsoon. The kharif cropping season is from July –October during the south-west monsoon and the Rabi cropping season is from October-March (winter). The crops grown between March and June are summer crops.

Pakistan and Bangladesh are two other countries that are using the term ‘kharif’ and ‘rabi’ to describe about their cropping patterns. The terms ‘kharif’ and ‘rabi’ originate from Arabic language where Kharif means autumn and Rabi means spring.

Kharif crops are usually sown with the beginning of the first rains towards the end of May in the southern state of Kerala during the advent of south-west monsoon season. As the monsoon rains advance towards the north India, the sowing dates vary accordingly and reach in July in north Indian states. These crops are dependent on the quantity of rain water as well its timing.

Too much, too little or at wrong time may waste the whole year's efforts. Seeds of these crops are sown in the beginning of the monsoon season. After maturation, these crops are harvested at the end of the monsoon season (October-November). In India, the kharif season varies by crop and state, with kharif starting at the earliest in May and ending at the latest in January, but is popularly considered to start in June and to end in October.

Rabi crops are winter crops which are grown during the winter season (October-March). Seeds of these crops are sown in the beginning of the winter season. After maturation of crops, they are harvested at the end of the winter season (April- May). The Rabi crops need cool climate during growth period but warm climate during the germination of seed and maturation.

The kharif crops include rice, maize, sorghum, pearl millet, bajra, finger millet and ragi (cereals), arhar (pulses), soyabean, groundnut (oilseeds), cotton etc. The rabi crops include wheat, barley, oats (cereals), chickpea/gram (pulses), linseed, mustard (oilseeds) etc. Many crops are cultivated in both kharif and rabi seasons.