Geography (India & World) • Topic 4 of 4

Climate & Agriculture

India has a monsoon climate: the South-West Monsoon (June–September) brings most of the annual rainfall. Crops are grouped into Kharif (monsoon-sown), Rabi (winter) and Zaid (summer).

The cropping seasons

SeasonSown / HarvestedCrops
Kharifsown June–July (monsoon), harvested Sept–Octrice, maize, cotton, bajra
Rabisown Oct–Dec (winter), harvested springwheat, gram, mustard, barley
Zaidshort summer seasonwatermelon, cucumber, muskmelon
Memory hook. Kharif = rains (kharif comes with the monsoon); Rabi = winter (wheat). Rice is Kharif; wheat is Rabi — the single most-asked pair.

The monsoon

The South-West Monsoon (June–September) delivers the bulk of India's rain as moist winds blow from sea to land. The retreating North-East Monsoon (Oct–Dec) brings rain to the south-east coast (Tamil Nadu).

Soils, in one line each

  • Alluvial — the northern plains; most fertile and widespread.
  • Black (regur) — Deccan; ideal for cotton.
  • Red & laterite — south and east; needs fertiliser.

✅ Solved examples

1. Which monsoon brings most of India's rainfall?
The South-West Monsoon (June–September).
2. Wheat belongs to which cropping season?
Rabi (winter) crop.
3. Which soil is best for cotton cultivation?
Black soil (regur).
4. Rice and cotton are examples of which crop season?
Kharif (monsoon) crops.

✏️ Practice — try these, take hints as needed

1. The winter cropping season is called?
Wheat, gram, mustard.
—
—
Rabi
2. The soil found across the northern plains is?
River-deposited.
—
—
Alluvial soil
3. Most Indian rainfall comes from the ___ monsoon.
Direction.
—
—
South-West
4. Rice is a ___ season crop.
Sown with monsoon.
—
—
Kharif
5. Black soil is most suitable for which crop?
Cash crop.
—
—
Cotton

📝 Topic test — 8 questions

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