>Devesh.bhatta at 06:39, 17 May 2021

2021-05-17T06:39:01Z

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{{more citations needed|date=April 2013}}
'''Bihar''' lies in the river plains of the basin of the river [[Ganga]]. It is endowed with fertile [[alluvial soil]] ground water resources. This makes the agriculture of [[Bihar]] rich and diverse. [[Rice]], [[wheat]], and [[maize]] are the major cereal crops. Arhar, urad, [[moong]], gram, [[pea]], [[lentils]], and khesaria are some of the [[pulses]] cultivated in Bihar. Bihar is the largest producer of [[vegetable]]s, which is dominated by [[potato]], [[onion]], [[eggplant]], and [[cauliflower]]. In [[fruit]] cultivation, it is the largest producer of [[lychee]] and the third largest producer of [[pineapple]], as well as a major producer of [[mango]], [[banana]], and [[guava]]. [[Sugar cane]] and [[jute]] are two other major cash crops of Bihar.

==Cropping pattern==
The net [[sown]] area in Bihar is 60% of its geographical area. This percentage is much higher than the all-India average of 42%. Such a high percentage of cultivated land is possible for two reasons. First, most of Bihar is plain area suitable for agriculture. Second, most of the forest had been converted into farmland during the last 2000 years. Currently, land under forest constitutes only 6% of the area.

South Bihar is a productive agricultural center, while North Bihar is hindered by its flood and drought prone geography. In the south, the ''[[Ahar-Pyne]]'' system of agriculture has long been used to cultivate crops.<ref>Koul, D. N., Singh, S., Neelam, G., & Shukla, G. (2012). ''Traditional water management systems-An overview of Ahar-pyne system in South Bihar plains of India and need for its revival.''</ref>

== Food grains ==
Rice is cultivated in all districts of Bihar. Autumn rice, aghani rice, and summer rice are three different varieties of rice grown at three different times of the year. The average production of rice is around 5 million tonnes each year. Some five decades back, [[wheat]] cultivation was very restricted to western districts of Bihar. After green revolution success, wheat was planted by Bihari farmers on a larger scale, and wheat now occupies the status of major crop of the [[Rabi crops|rabi]] (spring) season. The average annual wheat production is approximately 4-4.5 million tonnes. Maize is also cultivated, with an average annual production level of approximately 1.5 million tonnes and a steady positive trend in production. The leading producer districts are [[Khagaria district|Khagaria]] and [[Saharsa district|Saharsa]]. Pulses such as moong, arhar, peas, and khesari are grown, more in southern than in northern Bihar. The leading districts are [[Patna]], [[Bhojpur district, India|Bhojpur]], [[Aurangabad district, Bihar|Aurangabad]], and [[Nalanda district|Nalanda]].

== Horticulture ==
Bihar is one of the major producers of vegetables and fruits in India with 9.8 and 6.7 percent of national production respectively. It ranks third and sixth among other States in the production of vegetables and fruits respectively. <ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=bameti.org|url=https://bameti.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/State-Profile.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== [[Fruticulture]] ===
Bihar is one of the largest producers of fruits and vegetables in the country.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Sinha|first=Suveen K.|date=2005-10-25|title=Bihar sees future in fruit, vegetable cultivation|work=Business Standard India|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/bihar-sees-future-in-fruit-vegetable-cultivation-105102501074_1.html|access-date=2021-05-17}}</ref> Bihar accounts for 71% of India's annual [[litchi]] production.<ref>{{cite news|last=Das|first=Anand ST|date=5 July 2008|title=Distressed Delicacy|volume=5|journal=[[Tehelka]]|issue=26|url=http://archive.tehelka.com/story_main39.asp?filename=Bu050708distresseddelicacy.asp|url-status=dead|access-date=14 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150214203408/http://archive.tehelka.com/story_main39.asp?filename=Bu050708distresseddelicacy.asp|archive-date=14 February 2015}}</ref> [[Makhana]] cultivation is done in about 5000 hectares in the entire country, and produces 90% of the world's fox nuts.<ref name="Flora of China">[http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200007078 ''Flora of China'', "Euryale ferox"]</ref><ref name=":0" /> In [[fruit]] cultivation, the third largest producer of [[pineapple]], as well as a major producer of [[mango]], [[banana]], and [[guava]]. Few Bihari Farmers are turning to strawberry cultivation for better economical return.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Khan|first=Mohd Imran|title=Farmers in a part of Bihar are turning to strawberry cultivation to find sweet returns|url=https://scroll.in/article/872520/farmers-in-a-part-of-bihar-are-turning-to-strawberry-cultivation-to-find-sweet-returns|access-date=2021-05-17|website=Scroll.in|language=en-US}}</ref> Also, better economical return has attracted former to cultivate [[Pitaya|Kamalam]] (dragon fruit). <ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-01-25|title=In Bihar, ‘Kamalam’ has been helping farmers earn a decent livelihood for years now|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/patna-news/in-bihar-kamalam-has-been-helping-farmers-earn-a-decent-livelihood-for-years-now-101611547753145.html|access-date=2021-05-17|website=Hindustan Times|language=en}}</ref> [[Corrigendum]] one of the world's costliest crop is now under cultivation in Bihar by few farmer. <ref>{{Cite web|title=Corrigendum: World's costliest crop is now under cultivation in Bihar|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2021/feb/03/corrigendum-worlds-costliest-crop-is-now-under-cultivation-in-bihar-2258960.html|access-date=2021-05-17|website=The New Indian Express}}</ref>

=== [[Vegaculture]] ===
The total area under vegetable cultivation is currently about 11% of the state's gross sown area, and is increasing. The important vegetable crops include [[potato]], [[onion]], [[tomato]], [[cauliflower]], and [[brinjal]]. [[Hajipur]] in [[Vaishali district|Vaishali]] is famous for an early variety of cauliflower that reaches market in the last week of September. Production of vegetables is well dispersed over the districts, with a concentration of production in some particular districts. Apart from [[Patna]] and [[Nalanda]] (Jehanabad), where vegetable production is quite extensive, the other districts with high shares in total vegetable production are [[Vaishali district|Vaishali]], [[Muzaffarpur district|Muzaffarpur]], [[West Champaran district|West Champaran]], [[East Champaran district|East Champaran]], [[Katihar district|Katihar]], and [[Begusarai district|Begusarai]].<ref>http://finance.bih.nic.in/Budget/Economic-Survey-2012-En.pdf{{dead link|date=October 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

== Animal Husbandry ==

=== Milk ===
{{See also|Bihar State Milk Co-operative Federation}}
The Dairy co-operative was founded in 1983 to coordinate the work of various local milk unions. The government opened [[Nalanda]] dairy in 2013 which is the Largest Automation based Dairy Plant in Eastern India. The establishment of Sudha was a result of [[Operation Flood|White Revolution]].{{citation needed|date=March 2019}} In January 2021,the organisation had decided to make two new dairy plants in [[Bhagalpur]] and [[Purnia]] districts operational by the next three-four months each with a capacity of 2 lakh litres per day.<ref name="Bihar milk Reference1">{{cite news|last1=shankar|first1=Rama|date=24 January 2021|title=Bhagalpur, Purnia to get dairy plants soon {{!}} Patna News - Times of India|language=en|publisher=The Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/bhagalpur-purnia-to-get-dairy-plants-soon/articleshow/80426720.cms|access-date=16 March 2021}}</ref> The setting of new plants would help enhance the income of the milk producers of the region.<ref name="Bihar milk Reference1" /> In year 2020,[[Bihar]] Government started a dairy plant of 5 lakh litres per day and an animal fodder plant of 300 MT per day at Bihian.<ref name="Bihar milk Reference1" /> For setting up dairy plants and animal fodder plants in the state,Government had released a sum of Rs 53 crores to Comfed as first instalment out of Rs 234 crores.<ref name="Bihar milk Reference1" /> In 2018,Bihar State Milk Co-operative Federation,known as Sudha, planned at consolidating its market in [[Guwahati]] before expanding its reach to other states of the Northeast.<ref name="Bihar milk Reference3">{{cite news|date=26 November 2018|title=SUDHA to expand its footprints in northeast|url=https://www.indiancooperative.com/co-op-news-snippets/sudha-to-expand-its-footprints-in-northeast/|access-date=17 March 2021|ref=Indian Cooperative}}</ref>

== Statistic ==

* Maize accounts for 1.5 million MT(or 10% of country production)
* Sugarcaine produces 13.00 million MT
* Litchi production is 0.28 million MT(Bihar contributes 71% of national production)
* Makhana levels are 0.003 million MT(Bihar contributes 85% of national production)
* Mango is 1.4 million MT(13% of All India)
* Vegetable production is 8.60 million MT (9% of All India)
* Honey Production is 1300 MT (14% of All India)
* Aromatic Rice 0.015 million MT
* Milk Production (Present) :4.06 million MT. COMPFED has established 5023 cooperative societies with 2.54 lakh membership -highest among the eastern states.
* Fishery production levels are 0.27 million lakh MT
* All the above data is from the Bihar Government can be found here<ref name="industries.bih.nic.in">{{cite web|title=Archived copy|url=http://industries.bih.nic.in/Slides01/Presentation.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110303181352/http://industries.bih.nic.in/Slides01/Presentation.pdf|archive-date=3 March 2011|access-date=2014-11-20}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|1}}

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[[Category:Economy of Bihar]]
[[Category:Agriculture in Bihar]]

Agriculture of Bihar - Revision history

>Devesh.bhatta at 06:39, 17 May 2021