Major Kharif crops cultivated across India
- Food grains (cereals): Paddy (rice, the dominant kharif staple), maize (corn), pearl millet (bajra), and sorghum (jowar).
- Pulses: Pigeon pea (arhar/tur), green gram (moong), and black gram (urad), providing essential dietary proteins and fixing soil nitrogen.
- Oilseeds: Soybean (extensively grown in MP and Maharashtra), groundnut (Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh), and sesame (til).
- Commercial cash crops: Cotton (Bt cotton across the black soil belt), sugarcane, and jute.
Monsoon dependence and contingency planning
Because over 50% of Indian kharif acreage depends directly on southwest monsoon rains, delayed monsoon onset or prolonged dry spells can threaten crop establishment. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) issues district-specific contingency plans recommending drought-tolerant varieties and short-duration pulses.
Crop insurance protection under PMFBY
Kharif crops are covered under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY). Farmers pay a uniform nominal premium of up to 2% of the sum insured for food grains and oilseeds (5% for commercial crops), with the remaining premium subsidized by central and state governments.
Official source
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Directorate of Economics and Statistics (DESAgri) ↗Related on KisanPe
Common questions
When does the Kharif cropping season start and end?
Kharif crops are sown with monsoon rains in June-July and harvested in autumn between September and November.
What is the primary food grain grown during the Kharif season?
Paddy (rice) is the dominant food grain cultivated during the kharif season across India.
What is the farmer premium rate for Kharif crops under PMFBY?
Farmers pay a uniform nominal premium of up to 2% of the sum insured for kharif food grains and oilseed crops.
General guidance, not personal advice. For your farm, ask your local Krishi Vigyan Kendra or agriculture officer.
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