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states. After China, India ranks second in the and sandy soils where average temperature is
world in rice production. Good quality of Indian above 15°C and there is no frost. It needs about
(Basmati) rice has a vast international market. 50 to 75 cm of rainfall. The US is the largest
F ind Outind Out producer of maize accounting for half of the
world’s output, while China ranks second. Other
Alluvial topsoil with clayey subsoil is the best for major producers are Brazil, Mexico, and
rice cultivation. Find out why. Argentina. In India, major maize producing states
Wheat are Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh,
Rajasthan and Karnataka.
Wheat is the most widely
cultivated food crop in the Activity
world. Temperate areas with Collect seeds of rice, wheat, jowar, bajra and maize
moderate temperature and available in the market and discuss the
about 30 to 90 cm of rainfall geographical conditions necessary for the growth
are best suited for the in the class.
cultivation of wheat. It Wheat farm Fibre Crops
requires loamy soil with water retaining capacity
and sunny weather. Countries with cold winters, Cotton, jute, hemp and natural silk are the four
such as Canada grow wheat in spring while major fibre crops grown in the world. The first
tropical countries such as India grow winter three are derived from the plant by growing crop
wheat. Since, wheat cultivation is heavily whereas silk is obtained from cocoons of the
mechanised, it does not require much manual silkworms fed on mulberry leaves. Rearing of
labour. Wheat crop also needs a fairly good silkworms for the productions of silk fibre is
amount of chemical fertilizers and insecticides. known as sericulture. Cotton and jute are widely
China is the largest wheat producer. Other major grown fibre crops in the world.
producers are India, US, Russia and Canada while
Cotton
USA Australia and France are the major wheat
exporting countries. In India, wheat is a rabi Cotton is a fibre and comes under non-food crop
(winter) crop which is grown in the north, north- category. It is produced for commercial purpose. It
western and Central India. Punjab, Haryana, Uttar is soft, fluffy and grows in a capsule shaped like a
Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Bihar ball. It is the main raw material for cotton textile
are the main producers of wheat crop. industry. Cotton grows well in the areas having
high temperature (20°C to 30°C). It should be
uniformly high throughout the growing season. It
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requires abundant sunshine and moderate rainfall
of 60 cm to 100 cm. At the time of ripening there
The US is sometimes called the ‘bread basket of the
world’ but it is not the longest producer of wheat. should be cloud free clear sky. Alluvial and black
It is the largest exporter of wheat. soils are best suited for its cultivation. The leading
cotton producers of the world are China, US,
Maize India, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Brazil and Turkey. In
It is a third major food crop India, cotton has been cultivated since ancient
of the world. It originated in times. The leading
Central America from where cotton producing
it spread in the world. It is states are Gujarat,
used as both food and Maharashtra, Andhra
fodder. Maize is grown in Pradesh, Madhya
temperate as well as tropical Maize farm Pradesh, Punjab and
areas. It grows well in deep, well drained clayey Haryana.
Cotton farm
Agriculture
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