CHAPTER :AGRICULTURE AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY

Haryana is an agricultural state. Agriculture has remained the main stay and leading occupation for the people, since its inception. Haryana is self-sufficient in food production and is at second position in foodgrain production in the country. This sector also includes allied activities i.e. animal husbandry, dairy farming forestry and fishing which contribute to Haryana’s economy.

The agricultural sector has always been an important contributor to the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) of Haryana. The Green Revolution took place in the state giving a major boost to the growth of agricultural sector. According to Economic Survey 2018-19, the production of principal crops in 2018-19 was 180.32 lakh tonnes.

 

Agro-Climatic Zones

Haryana falls in the Agro climatic zone VI, which is called the ‘Trans-Gangetic Plains Region. The state is further divided into two agricultural zones, based on the prevailing climatic conditions.

There two agro-climatic zones in Haryana are:

 

Eastern Zone

This zone includes Ambala, Kurukshetra, Karnal, Jhajjar, Kaithal, Panipat, Yamunanagar and parts of districts of Jind, Sonipat, Rohtak, Gurugram and Faridabad. Rice, wheat, maize, bajra, jowar, barley, groundnut, sugarcane, gram and other cereals are important crops grown in this zone. The zonal research station of this zone is located in Karnal.

 

Western Zone

This zone includes Sirsa, Hisar, Bhiwani, Rewari, Mahendragarh and some parts of Jind, Rohtak and Gurugram district. Bajra, jowar, barley, mustard, groundnut, sugarcane and gram are important crops grown in this zone. The zonal research station of this zone is located in Bawal.

 

Major Crops of Haryana

The main crops of Haryana are wheat, rice, sugarcane, cotton, oilseeds, gram, barley, corn, millet, etc which are grown in different crop seasons of Haryana according to their agro-climatic conditions. The crops of Haryana are categorised into two types:

 

1. Rabi Crops

The major rabi crops are wheat, tobacco, gram and mustard. The crop is sown by the end of October or the beginning of November and harvested by March. Wheat covers the maximum area under rabi crop in Haryana. Important rabi crops of Haryana are discussed below:

 

Wheat

It has the largest area under cultivation in Haryana. The state produces 13% of the crop on all India basis and ranks fourth after Punjab, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh in production of wheat. Sirsa district is the largest producer of wheat in the state. Other districts are Jind, Bhiwani, Hisar, Kaithal and Fatehabad.

 

Cotton

The state is one of the major producer of cotton in India. Two types of cotton i.e. American variety and Indian variety, are grown in Haryana. The fibres of American variety are long, shiny and more durable. Sirsa is the highest producer of cotton in the state followed by the districts of Hisar, Bhiwani, Jind, Rohtak, Jhajjar and Fatehabad.

 

Jowar

Rohtak is the largest producer of jowar followed by Jhajjar, Nuh, Palwal, Sonipat, Rewari, etc. The area under its production has decreased over the years.

 

Gram

It is grown in the Western parts of the state in the districts of Rohtak, Bhiwani, Sirsa, Hisar and Mahendragarh. Bhiwani is the largest producer of gram followed by Mahendragarh, Hisar and Sirsa.

 

Barley

The districts producing barley are Ambala, Faridabad, Karnal, Mahendragarh, Jind, Bhiwani, Sonipat, Rohtak, Sirsa and Hisar.

 

Oilseeds

Oilseeds mainly mustard is produced in the districts of Bhiwani followed by Mahendragarh, Rewari, Hisar, Sirsa, Jhajjar, Nuh, etc. Mahendragarh is the largest producer of mustard in the state.

 

2. Kharif Crops

The major Kharif crops are rice, jowar, maize, cotton, jute, sugarcane, sesame and groundnut. These crops are sown during the commencement of rains in June and harvested by the beginning of November. Rice covers the maximum area under the Kharif crops in Haryana followed by bajra. Important kharif crops of Haryana are as follows:

 

Rice

This is the second most important crop of Haryana after wheat. Rice is mostly cultivated in the North-Eastern to Central parts of the state as more water is needed for its cultivation. Karnal is the largest producer of rice in Haryana.

It is also the largest processor and exporter of Basmati rice in the state. Kaithal, Kurukshetra, Ambala, Jind, Sonipat and Panipat are other rice producing districts and together along with Karnal, they are known as ‘Rice Bowl of the State’.

 

Maize

It requires less water and grows well in adequate sunshine. Its cultivation takes place in the districts of Ambala, Panchkula, Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra and Rohtak.

 

Bajra

This crop requires less water and grows within 2-3 months. It is sown after first monsoon showers.

Bhiwani is the largest producer of Bajra, followed by Mahendragarh. It also grows in the districts of Sirsa, Hisar, Fatehabad, Jind, Rohtak and Faridabad.

 

Jowar

It is grown in the dry regions with moderate rainfall. Its production is highest in the district of Rohtak and Jhajjar. It also grows well in the districts of Sirsa, Jind, Bhiwani and Mahendragarh.

 

Some Other Crops

Sugarcane

It is a commercial crop of Haryana. Haryana produces around 3% of the sugarcane produced in India. It is mostly produced in Yamuna basin in the districts of Yamunanagar, Ambala, Karnal, Kurukshetra, Jind, Sonipat and Rohtak.

Yamunanagar is the largest producer followed by Karnal and Kurukshetra. The sugarcane produced is locally used as Gur or Khandsari. It covers maximum area in the state under commercial crops.

 

Pulses

It is produced during both rabi and kharif season. It is produced in the districts of Bhiwani, Hisar, Sirsa, Rohtak and Sonipat.

Pulses are also grown along with other crops and they also help in improving soil fertility.

 

Largest Crop Producing Districts

Crop	District
Wheat	Sirsa
Rice	Karnal
Bajra	Bhiwani
Cotton	Sirsa
Sugarcane	Yamunanagar
Sunflower	Ambala
Gram	Bhiwani
Jowar	Rohtak

 

Government Initiatives in Agriculture

Some government initiatives for agricultural development in the state are as follows:

Crop Insurance Scheme The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) was launched on 18th February, 2016 by the Prime Minister.

The State Government has decided to implement the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana during Kharif 2016, Rabi 2016-17 and Kharif 2017 and Rabi 2017-18 seasons. Under the scheme, the farmers share of premium is 1.5 per cent for Rabi crops, 12 per cent for Kharif crops and 5 percent for horticultural and commercial crops. The remaining share is borne by the Central and State Government in equal proportion.

Soil Health Management Soil Health Card scheme was launched by the Honble Prime Minister of India on 19th May, 2015 at Suratgarh, Rajasthan with the objective to address nutrient deficiency and to promote Soil Test based nutrient management. Under this scheme, Soil Health Card (SHCs) are to be issued to all farmers in a cycle of two years in the State. The scheme was introduced in the State since April, 2015 during 1st cycle of the scheme i.e. 2015-16 and 2016-17. The 2nd cycle (2017-18 and 2018-19) of the scheme has been started since May, 2017.

Mukhya Mantri Kisan Evam Khetihar Mazdor Jiwan Suraksha Yojana This scheme was launched in 2014 by the State Government of Haryana. It aims to provide insurance cover to farmers and farm workers in the event of death or injury due to operation of farm machinery. Under this, the government provides a compensation of t 5 Lakh in case of death and t 2.5 lakh in case of any disability.

Seed Scheme It started from 2011. This program is implemented by Haryana Seed Development Corporation. The farmers are provided assistance for the purchase of hybrid/certified seeds. They are provided subsidies for the purchase of seeds of wheat, barley, paddy and bajra.

Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme A weather based crop insurance scheme which is based on several weather parameters such as deficit rainfall, excess rainfall, temperature and dry days instead of yield parameters is also implemented in 12 districts of the state from 2009-10.

National Food Security Mission It is a centrally sponsored scheme running in the state from 2007-08. Its objective is to increase production of wheat and pulses through area expansion and productivity enhancement in a sustainable manner.

Rastriya Krishi Vikas Yojana It is a Central Government Scheme started in in Haryana with a centre-state sharing pattern of 60 : 40. Development works like irrigation through sprinklers, increasing soil health through provision of manures, better seeds are undertaken under this scheme.

Indo-Dutch Project It was started in 1994 in collaboration with Government of Netherlands and currently running in four areas namely Lakhan Majra (Rohtak), Safidon (Jind), Ghadwal and Gohana (Sonipat). This project in undertaken by the Haryana Government to treat the waterlogged and saline soils for the reclamation of waterlogged and saline lands. It is part of the main project-Haryana Operational Pilot Project.

Agricultural Marketing The State Government has set up four agricultural malls (Agro Mall) for the direct sell of agricultural products. They are in Karnal, Panipat, Rohtak and Panchkula.

Tele Agriculture This is an agricultural helpline started by the State Government through which farmers can get relevant information related to weather, agricultural developments, new technology, seeds, etc. Initially implemented in Hisar district, now this helpline is being available in other districts also.

Green Revolution Haryana contributed significantly to the Green Revolution in India in the 1960s, that made the country self-sufficient in food production. This scheme was highly successful. The production of wheat and rice increased remarkably. Punjab and Haryana together are called Food Grainary of India.

Other Initiatives The State Government has launched e-National Agriculture Market (NAM) in Haryana and has linked 54 modes with e-NAM to promote online trading of agricultural commodities. The government has also launched an e-Kharid’project to digitise the procurement process of foodgrains. The State Government gives agriculture awards ‘Chowdhary Devilal Award’ to encourage the farmers.

It also provides financial assistance like Revolving Cash Credit Scheme, Easy Loan Scheme, etc. The state celebrates ‘Farmers Day’ every year on 23rd December to mark the birth date of Chowdhary Charan Singh.

 

Agriculture Departments in Haryana

Haryana being an agricultural state, has separate departments dedicated to various phases of agriculture that undertake various developmental activities. They are discussed as follows:

Haryana State Seed Certification Agency (HSSCA) It was established on 6th April, 1976. Its main function is to certify the seeds as notified by the Government of India under Section 5 of Seeds Act, 1966. It is registered under Societies Act, 1860. Presently, it has diversified its activities for organic production also.

Haryana Seed Development Corporation (HSDC) It was established in 1974 under the Companies Act, 1956. It has built six seed processing plants at Umri, Hisar, Sirsa, Yamunanagar, Tohana and Pataudi. It produces and distributes certified seeds, buy, sell, import, export and deal in seeds of all varieties. It also owns and operates seed testing laboratories.

Haryana Land Reclamation and Development Corporation (HLRDC) It was established on 27th March, 1974. It is located at Panchkula and has three regional offices at Hisar, Karnal and Kaithal. It is established to reclaim alkaline land, manage government owned farms and sale of agricultural inputs to the farmers.

Haryana State Agriculture Marketing Board (HSAMB) It was established on 1st August, 1969 within the framework of Punjab Agricultural Produce Markets Act, 1961.

Its headquarters is located at Chandigarh. Its objective is to set up modern markets and evolve efficient marketing system. It develops first markets, fodder markets, fish market, grain market, cotton market and wool market.

 

Horticulture in Haryana

Haryana is fast emerging as one of the leading states in the field of horticulture. In the state, almost all types of fruits, vegetables, spices, mushroom and flowers are being grown. Out of the total area under horticulture cultivation, around 85% area is under vegetables and the rest is under fruits, spices, etc. According to Economic Survey 2018-19, the production of horticulture crops in the state during 2017-18 was 80.85 lakh metric tonne. The Department of Horticulture is encouraging cluster approach for the better development of fruit cultivation. Mango, guava, papaya and citrus fruits like kinnu, amla are some of the important fruits grown in the state.

Potato, onion, sugarbeet, cauliflower are important vegetables grown in the state. Largest producer of fruits and vegetables in the state is Sirsa and lowest is Mahendragarh. Haryana is the largest producer of seasonal button mushrooms that are mostly grown in Sonipat.

 

Fruit Producing Areas

Mango, guava and citrus are the leading fruit crops in Haryana accounting for over 66% of the area under fruit and over 62% of the total fruit production. According to Economic Survey 2018-19, total area under fruit in the state was 64,021 hectares in 2017-18 and the production was 7.93 lakh metric tonne. Off-season production of mango is a distinguishing feature in Haryana. Yamunanagar is the largest producer of mango in Haryana. Sonipat is the largest producer of Guava.

 

Fruits and Area of Production

Fruit	Main Production Area
Mango	Panchkula, Ambala, Yamunanagar, Karnal, Kurukshetra
Guava	Gurugram, Karnal, Hisar, Faridabad, Sonipat
Citrus	Sirsa, Hisar, Ambala, Gurugram, Fatehabad
Sapota	Yamunanagar, Karnal, Panchkula, Kurukshetra, Ambala
Ber	Sonipat, Gurugram, Hisar, Fatehabad, Rohtak
Amla	Gurugram, Sirsa, Hisar, Karnal, Faridabad

 

Vegetable Producing Areas

The main vegetables grown in Haryana are potato, cauliflower, carrot, tomato, radish and onion. These account for over 61% of the total area and over 67% of production of vegetables. As per the Economic Survey 2018-19, in 2017-18, total area under vegetables in Haryana was 5,51,665 hectares and total production was 71.40 lakh Million tonne. The largest production of vegetables in the state come from Sonipat.

 

Vegetables and Area of Production

Vegetable	Main Production Area
Potato	Kurukshetra, Yamunanagar, Ambala, Karnal
Onion	Gurugram, Sonipat, Panipat, Panchkula
Cauliflower	Sonipat, Panipat, Gurugram, Yamunanagar
Tomato	Karnal, Sonipat, Panipat, Gurugram

 

Spices, Medicinal And Aromatic Plants

Green chillies, garlic, coriander, methi and turmeric are some of the spices grown in Haryana. Turmeric is the major spice grown in Haryana. Around 40% of the total production of spices in Haryana comes from Yamunanagar district. The state also has a limited share in the production of herbs of medicinal value. Aloevera and stevia are the most important medicinal plants grown in Haryana.

 

Spices and Area of Production

Spice	District
Coriander	Kurukshetra, Karnal, Gurugram
Chillies	Yamunanagar, Karnal, Hisar
Garlic	Karnal, Yamunanagar, Fatehabad
Methi	Gurugram, Hisar, Mahendragarh
Turmeric	Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra

 

Floriculture in Haryana

Rose, marigold, rajnigandha and gladiolus flowers are mainly grown in the state. In terms of area largest cultivation among flower is under Marigold. The state has set up centre of excellence for flowers in assistance with Netherlands in Jhajjar district to promote floriculture.

Flowers and Area of Production

Flower	Main Production Area
Rose	Panipat, Sonipat, Gurugram
Marigold	Gurugram, Sonipat, Jind
Rajnigandha	Faridabad
Gladiolus	Faridabad, Gurugram, Karnal

 

Government Initiatives in Horticulture

Bhavantar Bharpayee Yojana This scheme was launched 30th December, 2017. In this scheme, the farmers will be assured of compensation in case the prices go below the mentioned prices. This scheme is undertaken to diversify the farmers from producing traditional crops to vegetables. Presently, compensation assurance of four vegetables are given i.e. tomato, potato, onion and cauliflower. This scheme is firstly launched at Ganger village in Karnal.

Horticulture University In order to develop state specific technologies that cater to the local needs, the State Government has set up Maharana Pratap Horticultural University at Karnal to carry on research in horticultural practices. The university became functional from 6th January, 2017.

National Horticulture Mission The Government of India has launched National Horticulture Mission in 2005-06 as a centrally sponsored scheme to promote holistic growth of the horticulture sector through area based regionally differentiated strategies. Under this mission, during the year 2012-13, all the districts of Haryana except Faridabad, Rewari and Kaithal have been covered.

Indo-Israel Horticulture Project The Harayana Government has set up an Indo-Israel Horticulture Project at Gharaunda in district Karnal to enable farmers to grow unseasonal vegetables. Under the project, seedlings of various vegetables like tomato, seedless cucumber and capsicum would be prepared in the greenhouse, polyhouse, net house and these saplings would be provided to the farmers on subsidy.

International Horticulture Market To make a world class, modern, wholesale fruit and vegetable trading platform, the Haryana Government has decided to make use of French expertise in horticulture marketing and develop an International Horticulture Market (IHM) in Ganaur (Panchkula) and Sonipat.

Horticulture Vision 2026 Horticulture Department of Haryana has planned to enhance the area under horticulture cultivation from 7 to 25 per cent by year 2026. For this model villages are to be developed that are known as Bagwani Gram. The government plans to develop village exclusively for horticulture cultivation in the state.

Crop Cluster Development Program This scheme is launched by Horticulture department of the state. It is launched in 340 villages which will be developed into ‘Horticulture villages’. These villages are made into 140 clusters. These clusters are given the facilities of pack house, polyhouse, packing machinery, cold house, primary processing units, sales centres, refer vans, solar energy facilities, etc. The latest cluster is developed at Uchhamajra village in Gurugram district.

Kisan E-Portal The department of horticulture in Haryana provides the facility to link the village with E-portals so that farmers can benefit from information related to weather, seed plantations, market rates, etc.

Farmer Clubs The farmer clubs are grassroot level informal forums run by individuals belonging to farming community. At present, 835 such clubs are running in the state with a membership of 1000 farmers in each club.

Technology Demonstration Centres The State Government has set up Technology Demonstration centres at seven places i.e. Shamgarh, Gharounda, Mangeana, Ladwa, Ram Nagar, Jhajjar and Bhuna.

 

Animal Husbandry in Haryana

Animal husbandry is an important sector to supplement the income of rural masses in the state. It is the second important activity after agriculture in the state. According to Livestock Census 2012, livestock population of Haryana is 8.81 millions. Also, there are 2,879 veterinary institutions (as per the Economic Survey 2018-19) spread over the entire state. On an average, every 3 villages are having the facility of one veterinary hospital in the state.

 

Livestock Population in Haryana

Cow, buffalo, sheep, goat, pig, horse are reared in the Central, Eastern and Northern regions of the state. Donkeys, mules and camels are reared in the drier parts of Southern and Western regions of the state. Out of total livestock in the state, buffalo contributes 69% of the population, followed by cattle (20%), goat (4.19%), sheep (4.11%) and pigs (1.4%). Poultry also forms a considerable livestock population. Per-capita availability of milk in Haryana is 878 g which is higher than all India average of 329 g.

 

Buffalo

As per Livestock Census 2012, Bhiwani has the highest population of buffaloes followed by Hisar and Jind and the lowest is in Panchkula. Murrah variety of buffaloes indegenous to Haryana is popular throughout the country for its superior breed. This breed is also called as Black Gold. It is the most important breed of buffaloes found mainly in Rohtak, Hisar and Jind districts of Haryana.

 

Cow

Hariana breed and Sahiwal breed are found in the state and originated from Rohtak, Hisar, Jind and Gurugram. Jersey cattle and mix breed is also found in the state. District with highest cattle population is Sirsa, followed by Hisar and Karnal.

 

Sheep

Most of the sheep flocks in Haryana are stationary. Only a few are migratory that follow a fixed route along Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. The Nali breed is found in Hisar and Rohtak. Hisardala is also a popular breed. Bhiwani has the largest population of sheep followed by Hisar and Sirsa.

Goat

Haryana is the fifth largest producer of goats. Famous varieties of goats in Haryana are Betal, Nagfani, Jamunapari, Boer and Nubian goat. Mahendragrah has the highest population of goats followed by Bhiwani and Sirsa.

 

Other Animals

Horses They are highest in Ambala followed by Karnal and Kaithal.

Donkey They are highest in Bhiwani followed by Jhajjar and Rewari.

Camels They are highest in Bhiwani followed by Sirsa and Mahendragarh.

Pigs They are highest in Sonipat followed by Jind and Rohtak.

 

State Government Initiatives for Development of Animal Husbandry

The Department of Animal Husbandry, established in 1966 provides healthcare and breeding facilities for the livestock in the state. In order to improve the genetic merit of livestock, government has initiated many programmes.

Some of the initiatives are discussed below:

Livestock Insurance Scheme On 29th July, 2016, the Livestock Insurance Scheme to safeguard the interests of the farmers is started at Jhajjar. Under this scheme,? 100 for large mammals such as cattle, buffaloes, horses, donkeys, etc and ? 25 for small ruminants such as sheep, pigs, etc will be paid for 3 years as premium.

Haryana Gauvansh Sanrakshan and Gausamvardhan This act was launched on 27th October, 2015. Under this act, the State Government established institutions to accept, keep, maintain and care for the infirm, injured, stray and uneconomic cows in the state of Haryana. The institutions provides programmes for the conservation and upgradation of indigenous breeds of cows.

Mukhya Mantri Grameen Dudharu Pashudhan Suraksha Yojana This scheme has been launched in the year 2013-14 to provide compensation to the farmers in the event of sudden death of milch animals in the state.

Banjh Mukt Pashudhan To maximise per head productivity through regular breeding, a unique programme of Banjh Mukt Pashudhan has been launched in 2010-11. This programme is undertaken by Rastrya Krishi Vikas Yojana.

National Programme for Bovine Breeding To bring the indigenous cattle at par with buffaloes, Systematic Breed Improvement Programme through various organisations, especially Gaushalas in the state is being undertaken, where selective breeding through natural service as well as through artificial insemination with quality semen is performed. Indigenous breeds of cattle and buffalo namely Murrah, Sahiwal, Hariana, Tharparker are being maintained at state owned farms at Hisar. These breeds are supported with various programmes to encourage retention of high fielders.

Women Dairy Development Scheme In order to provide financial stability to rural women, the private company, Nestle India Limited has started this scheme.

Veterinary Services In order to provide quality veterinary services, selected district hospitals are being upgraded into specialised polyclinics in a phased manner. Three such polyclinics at Sonipat, Bhiwani and Sirsa in addition to one Pet Animal

Medical Centre-cum-Teaching Hospital at Panchkula have been commissioned and polyclinic at Rohtak is also started.

Training Institute The Department of Animal Husbandry has established an ultra modern training institute at Hisar to provide training and skill upgradation to youth in this field. It has also initiated a scheme for unemployed youth, Tashudhan Vikas Vahini,, to provide breeding services at farmers doorstep.

Government Farms The state has established various farms throughout the state for the breeding and production of indigenous and cross breeds of livestock. These include Horse Breeding Centre at Hisar, Goat Breeding Centre at Hisar, Pig breeding centre at Ambala, Hisar and Wool Grading Cum Marketing centre at Hisar and Loharu (Bhiwani).

National Dairy Research Institute It is located at Karnal. It is instrumental in developing new breeds of cattle through embryo transfer technology. It was formed in 1923 as Imperial Institute of Animal Husbandry and Dairying. Milk Societies These are established for the production and distribution of dairy products. These societies are functional in Jind, Bhiwani, Ambala, Hisar, Rohtak, Sirsa and Ballabhgarh.

 

Livestock Development and Training Organisation

Various organisation in Haryana work for the development of livestock and training of animal husbandry. The organisations are as follows:

Organisation	Establishment Year	Location
Central Buffalo Research Institute	1985	Hisar
National Horse Research Institute	1986	Hisar
Haryana Veterinary Training Institute	2001	Hisar
Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences	2010	Hisar

 

Fisheries Sector in Haryana

There is great potential of fish culture in the state and it is now on the threshold of Blue Revolution after Green and White Revolution. Rivers, rivulets and lakes in Haryana are abound with many species of fish. The important ones are Katla, Mrigal, Chunni, Bata, Siriha, Mallee, etc. Fish culture is also being accepted by the farmers of the state as subsidiary occupation along with agriculture. As per the Economic Survey 2018-19, in 2017-18, about 18,975 hectares of area was under fish culture.

The government is providing technical and financial assistance through Fish Farmers Development Agencies to the fish farmers, which have been set-up in all the districts of the state except Panchkula, Nuh and Palwal. It is proposed to establish new fish market at Bahadurgarh and Gurugram to strengthen the post-harvest infrastructure in the state.