Major crops, holdings and cropping patterns, Social and physical environmental impact on production and distribution of crops in Madhya Pradesh
Major crops
Kharif crops
The total area under Kharif crops in the state is 104 lakh ha. Among Kharif crops, soybean has been sown on over 58 lakh ha, against the target of 56.50 lakh ha. Last year, soybean crops were sown on an area of 55.46 lakh hectare.
Rabi crops
The mean area under wheat crop in the Madhya Pradesh recorded as 4240.20 thousand ha. The 2.02 per cent per annum significantly increase in compound growth rate and the coefficient of variation was noticed as 14.34 per cent. Malwa plateau agro climatic zone having 749.50 thousand ha area under wheat which contributed 17.66 per cent to the state’s wheat area. Malwa plateau agro climatic zone has significant compound growth rate (5.96 per cent)per annum for area, but the coefficient of variation estimated to the tune of 36.9 per cent. Thus, the area fluctuated year to year due to facility of irrigation, favorable environmental condition etc.
Average wheat yield of the M.P. recorded 1964 kg/ha during the study period and show significantly increase in compound growth rate 2.93 per cent per annum and the coefficient of variation of the yield estimated as 20.64 per cent. The average yield in Malwa plateau agro climatic zone was 2287 kg/ha. The main reason was facility of irrigation, fertilizer application; high yielding verities etc. which were provided to farmers. The Malwa plateau agro climatic zone contributed compound growth rate of 8.90 per cent. Thus, significant increase the production but the coefficient of variation was high i.e. 53.34 per cent show high level of fluctuation.
Chickpea is a major Rabi pulse crop in the Madhya Pradesh. The average area under this crop in the state was 2675.94 thousand ha. There was increase in compound growth rate with respect to area (1.51 per cent per annum).The coefficient of variation noted as 9.94 per cent which indicate stability. Malwa plateau agro climatic zone has comparatively high co efficient of variation (36.2 per cent) and significant increase in compound growth rate in area (6.53 per cent per annum).
The average yield of chick pea recorded as 914 kg/ha. The compound growth rate of 1.25 per cent per annum and the coefficient of variation estimated 16.12 per cent for the yield.
Horticulture crops in the state
The area under horticultural crops i. e. fruits (96.76%), vegetable (12.00%) and flowers (125.15%) except spices (-1.95%) was found to be increased in the year 2009-10 as compared to 1999-2000. The production of all the horticultural crops i.e. fruits (81.38%), vegetables (30.89%), flowers (200.00%) and spices (28.48%) were found to be increased in the year 2009-10 as compared to 1999-2000. The productivity of all the horticultural crops i.e. vegetable (16.87%), flowers (33.25%) and spices (31.04%) except fruits (-7.82%) have been increased in the last decade.
Soybean
The area, productivity and production of soybean registrared positive significant growth in M.P. and Malwa plateau agro climatic zone of Madhya Pradesh. However, high level fluctuations in production during the period under study revealed that measures like timely application of recommended contingent practices during aberrant weather conditions in climate change scenario must be popularize.
Maize
Insignificant positive trend was observed in area, yield and production in the state. Significant negative in area and insignificant negative in yield and production in Malwa plateau agro climatic zone of Madhya Pradesh.
Sorghum
Compound growth rate show Significant negative in the area in the state and Malwa plateau agro climatic zone of Madhya Pradesh ;Significant positive in productivity in the state and Malwa plateau agro climatic zone of Madhya Pradesh; and Insignificant positive in production in state and insignificant negative in Malwa plateau agro climatic zone of Madhya Pradesh.
Wheat
Significant positive growth in area, yield and production in state and Malwa plateau agro climatic zone of Madhya Pradesh., however, the high level of fluctuations were noted. Attempts required to narrow down the fluctuations in area, yield and production of wheat in state and Malwa plateau agro climatic zone of Madhya Pradesh by developing the irrigation sources for adequate number of irrigations, popularize the efficient method of irrigation like sprinkler, drip etc.
Pulse: pigeon pea and chick pea
The trend of pigeon pea towards growth in terms of area, yield and production in state suggest emphasizing to raise productivity and production for the pigeon pea in the state and ACZ may be through high yielding varieties, method of cultivation and irrigation.
Change in crop pattern
In Madhya Pradesh, area allocated among different crops has shown a measure of structural rigidities, reflecting the traditional character of agriculture. Foodgrains remain the most predominant crop though the percent share in total cultivated area has declined from 86.5% in the trennium ending 1970-71 to 80.9% in 1987-88, and further to 73.3% during the trennium ending 1996-97.
Although the introduction of new technology has made a small dent in the cropping pattern, the impact was not so significant upto the beginning of 1980’s. The area under rice has not undergone any change and as percent of total cultivated area, has hovered between 20 to 21%. Similarly area under wheat has not shown any large increase, remaining at 15 to 16% of the total cultivated area, whereas in the country as a whole, there has been phenomenal increase in area under wheat. There has been slight decline in the percent share of pulses from 21.9% in 1983-84 to 20% in 1996- 97. Because of changes in relative profitability and low yield, cheap coarse cereals have been displaced by oilseeds, particularly soyabean.
The re-organized state of M.P. has lower percentage of total cultivated area under foodgrains and higher percentage under non-food grains, mainly due to oilseeds, particularly soyabean, compared to the composite state. It has more diversified cropping pattern compared to the Chhattisgarh state. In Chhattisgarh known as the “rice bowl” of Madhya Pradesh, rice is the main crop and covers 77% of the net shown area. It is mainly grown under rainfed conditions and the main source of irrigation is canals which are also dependant on rains. Chhattisgarh suffers from lack of irrigation and periodic droughts, causing migration of large work force from the state every year. There is a new thrust on horticulture development in the state since the creation of the new state.
Land Holdings
Share of operational landholdings in Madhya Pradesh have gradually reduced for semi-medium, medium and large landholdings whereas it has increased for marginal and small landholdings. In the year 1995-96, marginal landholdings increased from 40 per cent in 1995-96 to 43.9 per cent in 2010-11although this figure was much lower than All-India figures which stood at 62 per cent in 1995-96 and 67 per cent in 2010-11. Though the percentage number of operational landholdings is unassumingly large for marginal and small land holdings, but that does not commensurate with the area of operational landholdings under them. While the share of large landholdings was hardly 1 per cent for Madhya Pradesh, they commanded the area of about 9 per cent in 2010-11 which was pretty close to that of marginal landholdings of about 12 per cent in 2010-11. Besides, about 28 per cent of the area was under semi-medium and medium holdings in 2010-11 when they witnessed a steady decline in the number off operational landholdings held by them.
Physical environment: Climate and Agroclimatic zones of Madhya pradesh
The climate of Madhya Pradesh by virtue of its location is predominately moist sub humid to dry sub humid, semi arid to dry sub-humid and semi arid in east, west and central plateau and hills respectively, according to agro-climatic regions of India.
The annual rainfall received in the state varies from 800 mm in the northern and western regions to 1600 mm in the eastern districts. In some years rainfall goes much below to the normal. Most of rainfall is received in the Monsoon season from June to September and about 10 per cent of the rainfall is received in the remaining part of the year.
Madhya Pradesh has remarkable agrarian diversity having a wide range of climatic backcloth within and between different crop seasons, variety of soil types ranging from light textured soil to very heavy rich clay vertisols, each with their own inherent problems, and cropping patterns. The State is divided into ten agro-climatic zones.
- Kaimur Plateau and Satpura Hills
- Vindhyan Plateau (Hills)
- Narmada Valley
- Wainganga Valley
- Gird (Gwalior) Region
- Bundelkhand Region
- Satpura Plateau (Hills)
- Malwa Plateau
- Nimar Plateau
Each zone has its unique set of natural resources and constraints. The eastern part of the State is characterized by its rice based cropping systems, light alfisols which have low water holding capacity and are prone to erosion mainly water erosion because of higher and often high intensity rainfall. Rainfall in this part of the state is about 1500 mm mainly received during south-west monsoon season. The central and western parts of the state follow soybean based cropping system whereas pulses and oilseeds occupy an important place in the region. Important soil types in different zones of the states are mixed red and black (Kaimur plateau), medium and deep black (Vindhya plateau), deep black with clay (Central Narmada Valley), Alluvial, Medium black soil, Mixed red and Black soil and red and yellow soil (Grid sub zone), clay and clay loams and sandy loam soils (Bundelkhand), light reddish brown to black clay loam (Satpura), Alluvial, Recent alluvium and Calcareous (Food Prone Eastern Plain Zone).