By Editor Do you know that India is counted as among the most agriculturally active nations in the entire world? Well, that’s true, and we’re in the list along with big nations like the USA, China, and Brazil, so it truly is a big thing, no doubt. And this is only thanks to some states that are doing much better than others in the agriculture scene, and they’re the ones to keep up with the rising demand of pretty much every crop in the country. So, it is about time that we talk about the Top 10 Most Agricultural States in India, shall we?
1. Uttar Pradesh
If you haven’t looked into India’s agriculture sector before, then it would be a new discovery for you that Uttar Pradesh is actually and factually the largest and most agriculturally active state in the country. There are so many types of crops that Uttar Pradesh produces, and it is not just the number of crops, this state leads the charts in the production amounts as well. Like, to give you a good idea of this, just the urban area contributes to about 18% of the overall food grains in India; no other state is even remotely close to this figure. You know like, the vast production of wheat, sugarcane, rice, and potatoes is made possible by the exceptional fertility of the Ganga-Yamuna plains.
2. Punjab
This one is super obvious and surely, Punjab is definitely the reason why India has been called the “Granary of India,” and that’s why we have put Punjab in the second position. Many of you may already have the idea that Punjab is the one to produce the maximum amounts of both wheat and rice every year, and half of the credit for such a huge success goes to its well-developed irrigation system. The Green Revolution, which changed the face of Indian agriculture, was largely dependent on the state India played a central in the transformation.
3. Madhya Pradesh
Going down just one spot in this list, see, the rapid growth of the agriculture sector of Madhya Pradesh is quite remarkable, and that is the reason it is ranked third on this list. The state is the number one producer of soybeans and pulses in the country, and it also makes a significant contribution to wheat and maize farming. To give you a good idea of how big we’re talking, see, 12% of food grains produced in the whole of India come from MP.
4. West Bengal
Oh and as many of you might already know that West Bengal is ranked at number four position because it is the biggest producer of rice in India. Since rice is our main food, this achievement is of great importance. The alluvial soil and heavy rainfall are just right for farming, and that is the reason why Bengal is also the leader in jute, potatoes, and tea. Here though, thanks to the Ganga–Brahmaputra delta, farmers can cultivate multiple crops in a year, thus making agriculture a major contributor to the state’s economy.
5. Maharashtra
Next up on the list, see, Maharashtra has been ranked in fifth position mainly due to the fact that the state has an amazingly varied range of crops. The state grows one ton each of sugarcane, cotton, soybeans, grapes, bananas, and mangoes but also produces a little bit of everything for a very large scale. And just so you know, if we talk about in overall terms, Maharashtra is responsible for almost 1/10th of the total agricultural output of India.
6. Rajasthan
Rajasthan? How exactly? See, we know that you must be asking these questions, but despite the fact that most of its land is covered by desert, Rajasthan remains one of the leading agricultural performers, hence our decision to place it at number six in the ranking. Like, you might already now that the state is the largest producer of bajra (pearl millet) in India and also produces a considerable amount of wheat, barley, pulses, and oilseeds.
7. Andhra Pradesh
And then, going down a little bit on this list, see, Andhra Pradesh is a major agricultural hub in southern India, and it is ranked 7th in the list. With the Godavari and Krishna river deltas, Andhra is the number one rice-producing state. Just so you know though, besides just rice, the state also produces maize, chillies, cotton, and sugarcane in large quantities. You know, here, with the help of proper irrigation and favorable weather conditions, agriculture is practiced all the year round.
8. Karnataka
There is one specific reason we have included this one in the list, you see, Karnataka takes the eighth spot due to its efficient use of the different climatic regions for different crops. No doubt, if we look at the data, the state is the number one producer of maize, and besides that, it is also a significant producer of sugarcane, pulses, and coffee. And just so you know, Karnataka contributes about 7% to the total agricultural output of India.
9. Gujarat
Then, next on the list, see, Gujarat is placed ninth just because of one major reason, its great performance in cash crops. The state is the number one producer of cotton and groundnut in the country and besides that, it makes a considerable contribution to oilseeds and wheat. The region is responsible for nearly 6% of the total agricultural production in India.
10. Haryana
Oh and last on the list, see, Haryana qualifies for the top ten list of Indian states despite its being one of the smallest states in India because of its extraordinary agricultural output. Together with Punjab, Haryana is referred to as the “Breadbasket of India.” That’s factually true! The state manufactures a huge amount of wheat and rice; thus, the contribution of Haryana to the total food grains of India is nearly 5%.
Conclusion
Whenever the discussion is about agriculturally active states in the country, there is no doubt that you can just skip past these names. If you do, then surely, you don’t know much about this sector of India that well. But yes, since you have read this post from the very start, that statement is false in your case, specifically.