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Cropping pattern means the proportion of area under different crops at a given point of time. The crop statistics published by the government are used to denote the cropping patterns. Cropping pattern is however, a dynamic concept as it changes in space and time. The cropping patterns of a region are closely influenced by the geo-climatic, socioeconomic, and political factors. In any region, the prevalent cropping patterns are the cumulative results of the past and present decisions of individuals, communities or government and their agencies. These decisions are usually based on experience, tradition, expected profit, personal preferences and resources, social and political pressure.
The physical environment (physiography, climate, soils, water, etc.) imposes limits on the growth and distribution of plants and animals. The role of man in the cultivation of certain crops in a region is also important. Man, by his technological advancement can ameliorate the physical limits. The cultivation of rice in Punjab, Haryana, and Ganganagar District (Rajasthan) testifies this fact. Nevertheless, in different parts of the world, the physical environment reduces the choice of crops, either by prohibiting the growth of certain crops or by reducing their yield per unit area.
Depending on the geo-ecological conditions and availability of irrigation, the cropping patterns vary from region to region. In those regions where the physical diversity is less, the cropping patterns are less diversified and vice versa. For example, in the rainfall deficient areas of Rajasthan (Thar Desert) the farmers grow bajra (bulrush-millet), while in the fertile valley of Brahmaputra, rice has the status of monoculture. Contrary to this the soils of the Indo Gangetic plains are suitable for the cultivation of numerous crops.
In addition to physical environment, the land ownership, the land tenancy, land tenure, size of holding and fields also influence the cropping patterns. A farmer with small holding prefer the cultivation of labour intensive crop, while a large holding farmer goes for the capital intensive agricultural practices. Cropping patterns are also affected by the infrastructural, institutional and technological factors (see Chapter 9)
The cropping patterns of a region are determined on the basis of area strength of individual crop. The first, second and third ranking crops of an areal unit may be called as the dominant crops of that unit. These crops, if occupying more or less the same percentage of the total cropped area, shall be competing with each other and the farmer will decide which crop may fetch him more profit. In general, tor the demarcation of cropping patterns of a region, the minor crops (crops
occupying less than one per cent of the total cropped area) are ignored.
The relative yield index and the relative spread index for the determination of suitability of crop may be calculated with the help of the following formula: Mean yield of the crop in a component areal unit
Relative Yield Index 100
Mean yield of the total area
Area of the crop expressed as percentage of the total cultivated area in the areal unit Relative Spread Index = 100
Area of the crop expressed as percentage of the total cultivated area
On the basis of these indices the suitability of crop grown in a region may be ascertained. If the relative yield is below 90 per cent, then it may be an inefficient crop and therefore, should not be sown in more area of the cultivated land.
The area under each crop in a given region may be classified under the following four categories:
(i) High yield, high spread
(ii) High yield, low spread
(iii) Low yield, high spread
(iv) Low yield, low spreatl
On the availability of an alternative, more efficient crop than the existing ones is preferred which leads to new cropping patterns. The cropping patterns may be intensified with the help of short duration High Yielding Varieties. Any cropping sequence to be adopted by the cultivator, however, should be flexible. The suitability of a crop and cropping pattern may be judged on the basis of the following:
1. The crop should not accentuate certain diseases as a result of a fixed continuous rotation.
2. The crop should not exhaust on some plant specific nutrients from a particular part of the soil.
3. The crop should be fertility-building and soil-improving.
4. The crop should fetch handsome return to the cultivator and should provide the cultivator employment all the year round.
5. The crop should ensure the optimum utilisation of his resources, particularly inputs like irrigation water, chemical fertilisers, insecticides, pesticides, equipments, power and family labour.
Excluding the areas where Green Revolution is a big success and the areas in which plantation agriculture is being done, Indian farming by and large is subsistence type in character. Consequently food crops occupy over 72 per cent of the total cropped area. Among the cereals, rice and wheat rank first and second in area respectively. The subsistent cropping patterns of India are based on the utilisation of inherent fertility of the soil without much use of modern inputs and technology.
The importance of adoption of suitable cropping patterns in a developing country like India cannot be overemphasised. The horizontal expansion of agriculture in India is not possible without heavy investment in reclaiming the wasteland for agriculture. Only a judicious utilisation of the available agricultural land by adopting more remunerative cropping patterns, scientific rotation of crops and multiple cropping may help in overcoming the problems of shortage of food and agricultural raw materials in the country. A change in the cropping pattern and scientific rotation of crops are imperative to make agriculture more remunerative and sustainable.