10 States Highly Dependent on Agriculture

Ground Report | New Delhi: 10 states highly dependent on agriculture; Agricultural activities in India have been the main source of income. The Indian agriculture sector is growing very fast and contributes a lot to the economy. India's grocery and food market is the world's sixth-largest, accounting for 70% of total sales. India has a very large rural population which makes it highly dependent on agricultural activities. 

10 states highly dependent on agriculture

Agricultural activities in India have a long history. It includes fruit production, vegetable production, crop production, animal husbandry, etc. All the activities that are related to production, farming, and rearing come under agriculture. Not only this India worldwide ranks second when it comes to farming outputs. According to some reports, the agriculture sector employs more than half of the population. It also makes a significant contribution to the country's GDP. India's agricultural production is increasing year after year, and the country now ranks among the world's top producers of wheat, rice, lentils, sugarcane, and cotton. It is the world's second-largest producer of fruits and vegetables. It was also the second-largest cotton exporter for several years, accounting for about a quarter of the total amount of cotton produced. Agricultural or associated activities are important in almost every state in India.

Here are ten states in India that are highly dependent on agriculture:- 

1. West Bengal: West Bengal is India's leading producer of fruits and grains. It is also known for producing rice. It is also a vegetable producer. It is one of India's most agricultural states. Litchi, guava, orange, pineapple, mango, cauliflower, tomato, cabbage, and brinjals are among the fruits and vegetables grown there. It produces jute, tobacco, and tea, among other things, in addition to fruits, vegetables, and rice. It is also known for producing a variety of spices and oils. Rice production is the highest in India. In the state, there are 71.23 lakh farm families, with 96% of them being small or marginal farmers. The state has a diverse mix of natural resources and agro-climatic conditions, making agriculture the primary source of income. 

2. Uttar Pradesh:- Uttar Pradesh is known for its wheat production. It has the highest production of wheat followed by Punjab and Haryana. It is also known for its production of sugarcane and is also the top producer of sugarcane in India. Due to a high engagement of agricultural activities, Uttar Pradesh is highly dependent on the agriculture sector. Agriculture generates the economy of the state. Apart from rice and sugarcane, Uttar Pradesh is also known for its production of foodgrains. Due to its topography and climate, Uttar Pradesh is most suitable for the production of sugarcane. Uttar Pradesh is also the largest producer of potatoes in India. The state of Uttar Pradesh has an agrarian economy, with 47 percent of the population relying on agriculture for their livelihood.

3. Punjab:- People of Punjab are heavily reliant on the agricultural sector. Due to the area being fertile, there is a plentiful supply of foodgrains. Rice, wheat, fruits, and vegetables are also produced. It is the third-largest producer of food grains. Punjab is the best place for agriculture because of its extensive irrigation infrastructure and favourable climate. It is also rich in animal husbandry, in addition to food grains. Punjab is also rich in the production of crops like maize, barley, pulses, rapeseed and mustard, sunflower, oilseeds, sugarcane, cotton, and a variety of fruits and vegetables due to the texture and kind of soil there. Around 36% of the state's workforce is employed in the agricultural sector. 

4. Gujrat:- Gujarat's economy is primarily based on agriculture. Agriculture takes up more than half of the land available for cultivation. The main food crops are bajra, jowar, rice, and wheat. Gujarat is the main producer of cash crops in India, including cotton, groundnut, tobacco, cumin, sesamum, and others. Other important crops include rice, wheat, jowar, bajra, maize, tur, and gram.

5. Haryana:- Haryana is noted for its sugarcane, paddy, wheat, and sunflower production. It is India's second-largest sunflower producer. Agriculture and associated activities employ over 70% of the local population. According to some sources, the state was India's top producer of foodgrains, accounting for roughly 12% of the country's wheat production and 3% of the country's rice production. Foodgrains make up around 69 percent of the gross planted area, with rice and wheat accounting for 49 percent. It also produces a lot of livestock.

6. Madhya Pradesh:- Madhya Pradesh's agriculture industry, which is well known for producing pulses, employed 65 percent of the population. It also accounts for a quarter of the state's gross domestic GDP. It is also known for its soybean and garlic farming. Wheat and maize production are the primary sources of income for farmers in Madhya Pradesh. According to some statistics, Madhya Pradesh produces 22.54 percent of the country's pulses, with 400,000 hectares (ha) allocated to fruit, flower, and vegetable cultivation. Madhya Pradesh produces 37 percent of the nation's garlic and 54 percent of the nation's soybeans, respectively.

7. Assam: Assam is India's largest tea-producing state. Agriculture and tea cultivation are extremely important to the people of Assam. It is Assam's primary source of income. It accounts for over 52% of India's total tea production. More than 70% of Assam's population is reliant on agriculture. Agricultural activities employ more than 52 percent of the labour force. As the bulk of Assamese people lives in rural areas, agriculture is their primary source of income and livelihood.

8. Andhra Pradesh:- Andhra Pradesh is known for its jowar, bajra, maize, ragi, tobacco, legumes, sugarcane, and other crops. Agriculture and related sectors employ over 62 percent of the people in Andhra Pradesh. It also makes a significant contribution to the economy of the state. Andhra Pradesh accounts for roughly 77 percent of India's crop production.

9. Karnataka:- Karnataka is well-known for its coffee production and is one of India's top coffee producers. It accounts for over 70% of India's total coffee production. It produces rice, maize, moong dal, red chilli, sugarcane, peanut, soybean, turmeric, cotton, mustard, sesamum, barley, wheat, and peas in addition to coffee. Karnataka's agriculture, according to some reports, primarily depends on the southwest monsoon. Irrigation covers 64.60 percent of the total geographical area, although only covering 26.5 percent of the seeded area (30,900 km2).

10. Chattisgarh:- It's also known as Central India's rice bowl. Agriculture employs about 80 percent of the state's population, and 43 percent of the state's fertile land is cultivated. Paddy is the principal crop.

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