Agriculture of South-Asia

Introduction
From very recent times in South Asia, Man and his land have been closely related. A large portion of the land suitable
for agriculture has already been brought under cultivation. Since time immemorial, agriculture has been the major
occupation of the people of South Asia, even today, it is not only their chief means of livelihood but also serves as the
foundation of the regions economy.
After independence, every country of South Asia tried it's best to develop it's agriculture but without changing their
methods of agriculture combined with lack of capital. For this unchanging method, it didn't provide a good result.
Although they had very fine fertile land, suitable climate and cheap labor was Available; water storing facilities in the
form of dams and barrages were present and different types of irrigational facilities were available but the production
of crop was not according to the expectation. After realizing their mistakes, every countries put more effort on their
Agriculture and thus the use of modern methods and technology were introduced.

Agricultural System
In South Asia, the agricultural lands maybe divided into three major categories on the basis of crop grown and their
methods of farming.
1. Dry Cultivation
2. Wet Cultivation
3. Irrigated Cultivation
Dry Cultivation
Dry cultivation is practiced in the Uplands and interior of valleys of peninsular India and throughout the margins of the
Indo Gangetic plain. This area is semi arid and receives 18" to 35" of rain.
Dry cultivation is also practiced in the Rajasthan desert and in central India. Dry cultivation is scattered in areas where
thorn scrubs are found.
Wet Cultivation
Eastern and Southern India are areas with 40 inches or more of rainfall and permanent cultivation is practiced here, In
Bangladesh and South Sri Lanka, rice is the main crop, which covers one half to two third of the cultivated are in a year.
In the Gangatic plain, there are areas of wet cultivation but rice which needs fresh water and which belongs naturally
to the Bengal delta or the nearly deltas in South Asia, is also ideally suited to natural flood plains.
Irrigated Cultivation
The ratio of the agricultural surface in areas of wet and irrigated cultivation varies from 40 to 75%. Irrigation is practiced
because the soil is fertile and sufficient eater for irrigation is also available. Wheat is an important crop and rice ins
grown little. Jawar, Banjra are grown in drier parts of the Deccan and Rajasthan.
Old grow n in dearth Gangetic plain and in the eastern Punjab area 25 to 30% of the land is irrigated. Irrigation, the
assurance of good harvest is done by modern methods.
Major Crops of South Asia
This region has a large seasonal variation of temperature and land forms contributing to diversified agriculture. In most
of the areas there are two or three main cropping season. Among which, Rice and some wheat are grown, as well as
pearl millet and sorghum, a wide variety of pulses and oilseeds, Sugarcane, and vegetables and fruit.
Here is a list of some Major Crops:
8. Tea
1. Rice 9. Oil Seeds
2. Wheat 10. Tobacco
3. Jute 11. Indigo
4. Barley 12. Cotton
5. Grains, Bajra and Jawar 13. Fruits
6. Maize
7. Sugarcane
 Major Crops of South Asia and their Geographical Distribution
South Asia yields one fourth of the total rice production of the world. The soil and climate is very suitable for rice
cultivation. If the condition aren't met then the production of rice won't yield much. Rice requires a lot of heat and heavy
rainfall. When rice is sown in the field water is stored at a height of six inches for seventy days and it's necessary to
change the waters at intervals as stagnate water is dangerous for growth of crops.
Thus the most important rice district of South Asia are flat lands where the rainfall is usually heavy to flood the land or
where manmade canals are built which brings plenty of water.

Crop Geographical Distribution

Rice Predominantly cultivated in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and parts of
Pakistan.
Wheat Grown extensively in the Indo-Gangetic plains covering India, Pakistan, and
parts of Bangladesh.
Maize Cultivated across various regions including parts of India, Nepal, Bangladesh,
and Pakistan.
Sugarcane Mainly cultivated in India, Pakistan, and parts of Bangladesh.
Cotton Predominantly grown in India, Pakistan, and parts of Bangladesh.
Tea Major tea-producing regions include India (Assam, Darjeeling), Sri Lanka, and
to a lesser extent, Bangladesh and Nepal.
Spices (e.g., India is a major producer of spices such as chili, turmeric, cumin, and
cardamom. Sri Lanka also produces spices like cinnamon and pepper.
Bangladesh and Nepal also cultivate various spices.
Pulses (e.g., Pulses are cultivated across South Asia with major production in India,
Bangladesh, and Pakistan.
Fruits (e.g., Mangoes, bananas, and citrus fruits are extensively cultivated in India,
Bangladesh, and parts of Pakistan and Nepal.

Rice:
All the deltas and the coastal areas of South Asia produce rice. The whole of the Indo-Gangetic plain produces rice. On
the western side, rice is cultivated through irrigation due to sandy area. On the eastern side of the Ganges valley,
particularly in western Bengal and Bangladesh, two crops of rice are produced.
Nepal and Bhutan also produce rice but they have to make terrace for this crop. While rice is much important in Ceylon
and Maldives island, but the production there is a but less due to old cultivation methods. Pakistan has made great
progress in regards for making scented Basmati rice, it has become a cash crop for Pakistan.

Wheat:
Wheat is a staple food grain in the drier parts of South Asia. It is a winter crop and it needs high temperature and high
humidity. It is grown as a spring crop in extreme northern areas only. During the sowing of the seeds it needs moderate
temperature with humid climate. Thus it is sown in early winter and bears well against occasional rain, dry weather
and running water of the early summer times.

Barley:
It is an important crop grown largely in the same district as wheat but it can be cultivated in soils which are not suitable
for wheat cultivation.Thus Barley acts as an alternative when conditions aren't met for Wheat cultivation. It is called a
poorer crop as it is cultivated in the poor uplands.This is drought resistant and it needs a drained soils for it's cultivation.
Though it's production is small, it is grown everywhere.
Grains, Baira and Jawar:
These form the staple foods of the people in most of the drier parts of South Asia. These crops can bear dry, sandy areas
and poor soils with indifferent water supply.

Grains, Baira and Jawar:

As this crop is a dry crop, it can't resist rain and thus heavy rainfall may become a downfall for cultivation these grain
type crops. Even still this crops are very nutritious food and also acts as a cheap diet for the poor people of South Asia.
These crops provide vegetable proteins and also enrich soil with nitrogen.
Maize:
This crop is grown both for cattles and humans. It is grown on plains and is used as grain fodder in the hills where the
rainfall is moderate. It requires a good supply of Sunshine and water. It is grown with all the other dry region grain
crops but in the lower Ganges valley, due to rainfall these crops disappear.

Major Crops of South Asia and their Geographical Distribution (cont)

Sugarcane:
It is grown in good soils and needs quantities of water, In addition to rainfall. Heat plays a good role in the nourishment
of this crop. It needs 12 to 24 months for it's growth. Frost is bad for it's growth. This crop is grown in nearly all of the
areas of South Asia. No extra efforts is needed and this crop is grown every year in some areas.
India is the largest producer of sugarcane in the world but is second in the production of sugar. The most productive
areas of sugar cane are the irrigated lands of the upper Ganges valley, Punjab & the eastern side of South India. In
Pakistan it is grown in the entire Indus Plain with the help of irrigation. Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh also produces in
small quantities

Oil Seeds:
There are different kinds of plants grown in South Asia from seeds from which oil is extracted for different purposes.
The most important and commonly grown plants includes Sarsoan, Toria, Rye, Shisham. These plants are best grown in
medium rainfall conditions. The oil extracted is used for cooking, making sweets and is also used as fuel in oil lamps.
Cotton seeds are groundnuts also give oil which is used in the preparation of vegetable ghee.

Coconuts:
These are grown largely for the sake of oil obtained from the nuts. The dried nuts are valuable products and are used
for manufacture of soaps, A useful fiber called coir obtained from the outers shells is used for matting. Coconuts are
grown in all wet regions along the coast of Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Maldives and Sri-Lanka.

Tea:
This plant is a shrub which requires heavy rainfall. It must be grown on hill slopes, or where the waters does not remain
near the roots of the plants. So the hill slopes bordering the Brahmaputra valley in Assam, Bangladesh, Himalaya slopes
near Darjeeling and Dredune, northern Hazara district of Pakistan. The island of Ceylon and the slopes of Nilgiri hills
are the main centers of tea cultivation.

Tobacco:
The plant requires fertile soil. It is mainly grown by irrigation. It also needs heavy manure. Tobacco is grown in most of
the districts throughout South Asia.
Especially the thick alluvial soil and areas having frostless seasons. In places Tobacco is grown for export.

Coffee:
It is obtained from the beans of a shrub. It is grown on the South Eastern side of Indai.

Indigo:
It is a small plant from which purple powder is made. It is grown in India, specially to make chemical dyes.

Opium:
Very little quantities are grown in South Asian Countries. Opium is obtained from the seed capsules of the opium poppy.
The Government of the countries have full control over it's sale and it is mainly used in medicines.

Cotton:
It is an important cash crop. It is called the silver fiber and is grown mainly in the canal irrigated areas of South Asia.
The value of the fiber depends largely upon the length of the fiber. Two principal kinds of fiber are grown in the area:
1. Native Cotton with short hair or short staple
2. American Cotton which is longer fiber and is much more valuable
The cotton crop is grown in drier regions and flourishes in areas where the rainfall is less. When cotton pods open, the
seeds inside are seen to be wrapped in a mass of cotton fibers. At that time weather should be completely dry, or there
will be great losses when the seeds get wet.

Cotton:
Cotton needs a good alluvium or desert soil which is able to retain moisture. In South Asia there is no use of machine
for this job as during the plucking of cotton, it is done by hand.
Cotton seeds are sown in very warm summers. When they attain some length, other natural growths are cleared from
there. When these plants become bushes, pods come out on them. Cotton is cultivated in most of the Indus basin but
here the rainfall is not enough for it's nourishment, So irrigation is necessary. Aside from there, the upper Ganges plain,
Punjab, Deccan coastal plain and the Deccan plateau are best for cotton cultivation. Lastly Cotton is grown in
Bangladesh, but due to it's humidity, it is mostly grown in the Chittagong hills with the help and effort of the government.

Jute:
It is a different type of crop. It is grown in only one portion of the world and that ins in Bangladesh & West Bengal. The
reason is that this plant needs a special type of phycial conditions i.e. a special type of soils is renewed every year byt
new alluvium, which is very fertile and keeps moisture river in hot and humid climate. These conditions are found in
Bangladesh and West Bengal. Both countries grow 79% of the total production of Jute. The rest is grown in South East
Asia.
Jute is called the golden fiber. It is a cash crop. It is very cheap and sacks, rugs, canvas, carpets, cloth and some
decorative goods are made by it. It needs rain form the time of sowing to harvest. The summer monsoon fulfills these
conditions. Bundles are made after cutting the crop and kept dipped in water.

Jute:
After five of six days the crop is pealed by hands and the bundle is beaten to get the fiber. The it is hung for drying and
is taken where needed. The fineness of fiber depends upon it's beating and the method of talking it out from the crop.
In Bangladesh jute is cultivated on only 8% of total cultivated area, in every part of the country, but specially in flood
plains of the Brahmaputra, Padma and Meghna rivers. There are two kinds of jute, the Dasi Pat and Youngi Pat. The hard
fiber jute and the fine fiber jute.

2.3 Climate of South Asia

Introduction:
South Asian lands have mostly a tropical monsoon type of climate. It has a separate and distinct system of winds and
air masses. The Baluchistan area is out side the mountainous wall of South Asia and has an entirely different type of
climate. In the extremely northern areas the winters are distinctively cold and wet, the Eastern sides of South Asian
area maybe called the true monsoon type while on the western side of South Asia received the monsoon wind but has
a high temperature and continental type climate. There are also some unique climate such as the rains in Punjab.
True monsoon types of climate lands experiences fairly uniform distribution of temperature and little diurnal range.
Due to low pressure in summer, rain is abundance and the cold months faces a long drought period for more than four
months.
South Asia has three distinctive seasons
• Rainy Season.
• Cold Season.
• Hot Season.

Rainy Season
• This season is quite hot as well and can be sub divided into two parts
• The period from June to mid September, a time of advancing monsoon winds.
• The period from mid September to mid December. A time of retreating monsoon winds.
• During the hot dry season, due to very high temperatures in the desert and semi desert areas of South Asia, very
low pressure areas are created which eventually cause the out burst of the monsoon. This low pressure area
attracts winds from the India Ocean, South of the equator.
• This winds full of humidity give heavy down pours and is followed by great thunder and lightning. Due to a
combination of Cyclonic or conventional effects. The thirsty plains of the region recover water in abundance
• The duration of this monsoon varies from six month in extreme south of Madras to only six weeks in the Pakistan
area. The actual direction of the winds is controlled by the physical features of South Asia.
• There are two main routes of these monsoon winds. One route starts from the Arabian Sea and scarcely reaches
the north of the Gulf of Cambay. The second routes starts from the Bay of Bengal as an East wind blows up gauges
and reaches Punjab from the south east.
• Heavy down pours are interspersed with the intervals of fine weather, though the sun is seldom seen. Sunny days
are common in the areas which are drier than Bengal such as the Ganges valley. Rainfall reduces temperature in
most part of India and Pakistan.
• Every Exposed area receives at least 75~ (191 cm.) of rainfall during the month of June to October. The areas at 2000
ft. to 3000 ft. in Western ghats and along the ranges in the Eastern ghats at 3000 ft. to 5000 ft. high, receives rainfall
100~ to 200~.
• Some areas fall in the rain shadow large areas behind the ghats which are formed by the interior parts of Bombay,
Andhra states and Mysore states. Also the extreme south eastern part of Madras state which is occupied by east
Nilgris and Cardamom hills. Then there are areas along the Gulf of Mannar in nort western parts of Sri Lanka.

The Cold Season

o This season starts from Mid-December and ends in Late February.
o Cold dry air gradually spreads over northern areas and dominates all south Asian in this cold season.
o During these months, the winters cool the land and a high pressure area is created over the lands of South Asia
o Local variation in heat and cyclones are seen in the neighbor hood of Andaman Islands and travels west or north
west over the Bay of Bengal.
o The mean temperature remains above 70 degree F.
o During the months of November and December, such cyclones bring the heaviest rains to the coastal areas of
Madras Other south Indian uplands east of the ghats and cause a second raining season in Sri Lanka, while the rest
of the Indian territory does not receive many rain in these months. Over the rest of the land of the subcontinent,
anticyclone conditions prevail.
o The winter monsoon moves from west to east and then turns to become North Easterly over the peninsula India.
The rainfall is less than 5~ (13 cm. ) in Punjab and more than 5~ (13 cm.) in the Himlayan areas with cold air
blowing.The plains of Punjab and Sind get a second rainfall season of the year.

The Hot Season

o This season starts in March and ends in late may.

o During this season. The length of the days increases.
o The vertical sun shines very brightly which raises the temperatures.
o In the month of the March, the day time temperature is about 100 degree F. April , the temperature riese up to 110 –
120 degree F. in Rajasthan Area, Sind, Northern Plains of Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.
o The coastal areas have lesser temperatures in the season, particularly in peninsular India, due to local sea breezes
such as in Madras and Bombay where the temperature rise up to 90 degree F. during this season and from 74
degrees F in the cold season.
o Due to the persistent dry and stable air over South Asia from march to may, a low pressure area is created which
continues to drift across the mainland from west to east. At this time, the Kashmir valley gets it’s maximum rainfall
of the year while the rest of the northern areas in Pakistan, Nepal and India have no rainfall but this time dusty
winds blow in this regions.
o In this season in the Bay of Bengal some local conventional storms developed, which are quite disastrous and
sudden showers of rain, hail and very fast winds is seen.
Agriculture of South-Asia

Introduction
From very recent times in South Asia, Man and his land have been closely related. A large portion of the land suitable
for agriculture has already been brought under cultivation. Since time immemorial, agriculture has been the major
occupation of the people of South Asia, even today, it is not only their chief means of livelihood but also serves as the
foundation of the regions economy.
After independence, every country of South Asia tried it's best to develop it's agriculture but without changing their
methods of agriculture combined with lack of capital. For this unchanging method, it didn't provide a good result.
Although they had very fine fertile land, suitable climate and cheap labor was Available; water storing facilities in the
form of dams and barrages were present and different types of irrigational facilities were available but the production
of crop was not according to the expectation. After realizing their mistakes, every countries put more effort on their
Agriculture and thus the use of modern methods and technology were introduced.

Agricultural System
In South Asia, the agricultural lands maybe divided into three major categories on the basis of crop grown and their
methods of farming.
4. Dry Cultivation
5. Wet Cultivation
6. Irrigated Cultivation
Dry Cultivation
Dry cultivation is practiced in the Uplands and interior of valleys of peninsular India and throughout the margins of the
Indo Gangetic plain. This area is semi arid and receives 18" to 35" of rain.
Dry cultivation is also practiced in the Rajasthan desert and in central India. Dry cultivation is scattered in areas where
thorn scrubs are found.
Wet Cultivation
Eastern and Southern India are areas with 40 inches or more of rainfall and permanent cultivation is practiced here, In
Bangladesh and South Sri Lanka, rice is the main crop, which covers one half to two third of the cultivated are in a year.
In the Gangatic plain, there are areas of wet cultivation but rice which needs fresh water and which belongs naturally
to the Bengal delta or the nearly deltas in South Asia, is also ideally suited to natural flood plains.
Irrigated Cultivation
The ratio of the agricultural surface in areas of wet and irrigated cultivation varies from 40 to 75%. Irrigation is practiced
because the soil is fertile and sufficient eater for irrigation is also available. Wheat is an important crop and rice ins
grown little. Jawar, Banjra are grown in drier parts of the Deccan and Rajasthan.
Old grow n in dearth Gangetic plain and in the eastern Punjab area 25 to 30% of the land is irrigated. Irrigation, the
assurance of good harvest is done by modern methods.
Major Crops of South Asia
This region has a large seasonal variation of temperature and land forms contributing to diversified agriculture. In most
of the areas there are two or three main cropping season. Among which, Rice and some wheat are grown, as well as
pearl millet and sorghum, a wide variety of pulses and oilseeds, Sugarcane, and vegetables and fruit.
Here is a list of some Major Crops:
8. Tea
1. Rice 9. Oil Seeds
2. Wheat 10. Tobacco
3. Jute 11. Indigo
4. Barley 12. Cotton
5. Grains, Bajra and Jawar 13. Fruits
6. Maize
7. Sugarcane
 Major Crops of South Asia and their Geographical Distribution
South Asia yields one fourth of the total rice production of the world. The soil and climate is very suitable for rice
cultivation. If the condition aren't met then the production of rice won't yield much. Rice requires a lot of heat and heavy
rainfall. When rice is sown in the field water is stored at a height of six inches for seventy days and it's necessary to
change the waters at intervals as stagnate water is dangerous for growth of crops.
Thus the most important rice district of South Asia are flat lands where the rainfall is usually heavy to flood the land or
where manmade canals are built which brings plenty of water.

Crop Geographical Distribution

Rice Predominantly cultivated in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and parts of
Pakistan.
Wheat Grown extensively in the Indo-Gangetic plains covering India, Pakistan, and
parts of Bangladesh.
Maize Cultivated across various regions including parts of India, Nepal, Bangladesh,
and Pakistan.
Sugarcane Mainly cultivated in India, Pakistan, and parts of Bangladesh.
Cotton Predominantly grown in India, Pakistan, and parts of Bangladesh.
Tea Major tea-producing regions include India (Assam, Darjeeling), Sri Lanka, and
to a lesser extent, Bangladesh and Nepal.
Spices (e.g., India is a major producer of spices such as chili, turmeric, cumin, and
cardamom. Sri Lanka also produces spices like cinnamon and pepper.
Bangladesh and Nepal also cultivate various spices.
Pulses (e.g., Pulses are cultivated across South Asia with major production in India,
Bangladesh, and Pakistan.
Fruits (e.g., Mangoes, bananas, and citrus fruits are extensively cultivated in India,
Bangladesh, and parts of Pakistan and Nepal.

Rice:
All the deltas and the coastal areas of South Asia produce rice. The whole of the Indo-Gangetic plain produces rice. On
the western side, rice is cultivated through irrigation due to sandy area. On the eastern side of the Ganges valley,
particularly in western Bengal and Bangladesh, two crops of rice are produced.
Nepal and Bhutan also produce rice but they have to make terrace for this crop. While rice is much important in Ceylon
and Maldives island, but the production there is a but less due to old cultivation methods. Pakistan has made great
progress in regards for making scented Basmati rice, it has become a cash crop for Pakistan.

Wheat:
Wheat is a staple food grain in the drier parts of South Asia. It is a winter crop and it needs high temperature and high
humidity. It is grown as a spring crop in extreme northern areas only. During the sowing of the seeds it needs moderate
temperature with humid climate. Thus it is sown in early winter and bears well against occasional rain, dry weather
and running water of the early summer times.

Barley:
It is an important crop grown largely in the same district as wheat but it can be cultivated in soils which are not suitable
for wheat cultivation.Thus Barley acts as an alternative when conditions aren't met for Wheat cultivation. It is called a
poorer crop as it is cultivated in the poor uplands.This is drought resistant and it needs a drained soils for it's cultivation.
Though it's production is small, it is grown everywhere.
Grains, Baira and Jawar:
These form the staple foods of the people in most of the drier parts of South Asia. These crops can bear dry, sandy areas
and poor soils with indifferent water supply.

Grains, Baira and Jawar:

As this crop is a dry crop, it can't resist rain and thus heavy rainfall may become a downfall for cultivation these grain
type crops. Even still this crops are very nutritious food and also acts as a cheap diet for the poor people of South Asia.
These crops provide vegetable proteins and also enrich soil with nitrogen.
Maize:
This crop is grown both for cattles and humans. It is grown on plains and is used as grain fodder in the hills where the
rainfall is moderate. It requires a good supply of Sunshine and water. It is grown with all the other dry region grain
crops but in the lower Ganges valley, due to rainfall these crops disappear.

Major Crops of South Asia and their Geographical Distribution (cont)

Sugarcane:
It is grown in good soils and needs quantities of water, In addition to rainfall. Heat plays a good role in the nourishment
of this crop. It needs 12 to 24 months for it's growth. Frost is bad for it's growth. This crop is grown in nearly all of the
areas of South Asia. No extra efforts is needed and this crop is grown every year in some areas.
India is the largest producer of sugarcane in the world but is second in the production of sugar. The most productive
areas of sugar cane are the irrigated lands of the upper Ganges valley, Punjab & the eastern side of South India. In
Pakistan it is grown in the entire Indus Plain with the help of irrigation. Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh also produces in
small quantities

Oil Seeds:
There are different kinds of plants grown in South Asia from seeds from which oil is extracted for different purposes.
The most important and commonly grown plants includes Sarsoan, Toria, Rye, Shisham. These plants are best grown in
medium rainfall conditions. The oil extracted is used for cooking, making sweets and is also used as fuel in oil lamps.
Cotton seeds are groundnuts also give oil which is used in the preparation of vegetable ghee.

Coconuts:
These are grown largely for the sake of oil obtained from the nuts. The dried nuts are valuable products and are used
for manufacture of soaps, A useful fiber called coir obtained from the outers shells is used for matting. Coconuts are
grown in all wet regions along the coast of Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Maldives and Sri-Lanka.

Tea:
This plant is a shrub which requires heavy rainfall. It must be grown on hill slopes, or where the waters does not remain
near the roots of the plants. So the hill slopes bordering the Brahmaputra valley in Assam, Bangladesh, Himalaya slopes
near Darjeeling and Dredune, northern Hazara district of Pakistan. The island of Ceylon and the slopes of Nilgiri hills
are the main centers of tea cultivation.

Tobacco:
The plant requires fertile soil. It is mainly grown by irrigation. It also needs heavy manure. Tobacco is grown in most of
the districts throughout South Asia.
Especially the thick alluvial soil and areas having frostless seasons. In places Tobacco is grown for export.

Coffee:
It is obtained from the beans of a shrub. It is grown on the South Eastern side of Indai.

Indigo:
It is a small plant from which purple powder is made. It is grown in India, specially to make chemical dyes.

Opium:
Very little quantities are grown in South Asian Countries. Opium is obtained from the seed capsules of the opium poppy.
The Government of the countries have full control over it's sale and it is mainly used in medicines.

Cotton:
It is an important cash crop. It is called the silver fiber and is grown mainly in the canal irrigated areas of South Asia.
The value of the fiber depends largely upon the length of the fiber. Two principal kinds of fiber are grown in the area:
3. Native Cotton with short hair or short staple
4. American Cotton which is longer fiber and is much more valuable
The cotton crop is grown in drier regions and flourishes in areas where the rainfall is less. When cotton pods open, the
seeds inside are seen to be wrapped in a mass of cotton fibers. At that time weather should be completely dry, or there
will be great losses when the seeds get wet.

Cotton:
Cotton needs a good alluvium or desert soil which is able to retain moisture. In South Asia there is no use of machine
for this job as during the plucking of cotton, it is done by hand.
Cotton seeds are sown in very warm summers. When they attain some length, other natural growths are cleared from
there. When these plants become bushes, pods come out on them. Cotton is cultivated in most of the Indus basin but
here the rainfall is not enough for it's nourishment, So irrigation is necessary. Aside from there, the upper Ganges plain,
Punjab, Deccan coastal plain and the Deccan plateau are best for cotton cultivation. Lastly Cotton is grown in
Bangladesh, but due to it's humidity, it is mostly grown in the Chittagong hills with the help and effort of the government.

Jute:
It is a different type of crop. It is grown in only one portion of the world and that ins in Bangladesh & West Bengal. The
reason is that this plant needs a special type of phycial conditions i.e. a special type of soils is renewed every year byt
new alluvium, which is very fertile and keeps moisture river in hot and humid climate. These conditions are found in
Bangladesh and West Bengal. Both countries grow 79% of the total production of Jute. The rest is grown in South East
Asia.
Jute is called the golden fiber. It is a cash crop. It is very cheap and sacks, rugs, canvas, carpets, cloth and some
decorative goods are made by it. It needs rain form the time of sowing to harvest. The summer monsoon fulfills these
conditions. Bundles are made after cutting the crop and kept dipped in water.

Jute:
After five of six days the crop is pealed by hands and the bundle is beaten to get the fiber. The it is hung for drying and
is taken where needed. The fineness of fiber depends upon it's beating and the method of talking it out from the crop.
In Bangladesh jute is cultivated on only 8% of total cultivated area, in every part of the country, but specially in flood
plains of the Brahmaputra, Padma and Meghna rivers. There are two kinds of jute, the Dasi Pat and Youngi Pat. The hard
fiber jute and the fine fiber jute.

2.3 Climate of South Asia

Introduction:
South Asian lands have mostly a tropical monsoon type of climate. It has a separate and distinct system of winds and
air masses. The Baluchistan area is out side the mountainous wall of South Asia and has an entirely different type of
climate. In the extremely northern areas the winters are distinctively cold and wet, the Eastern sides of South Asian
area maybe called the true monsoon type while on the western side of South Asia received the monsoon wind but has
a high temperature and continental type climate. There are also some unique climate such as the rains in Punjab.
True monsoon types of climate lands experiences fairly uniform distribution of temperature and little diurnal range.
Due to low pressure in summer, rain is abundance and the cold months faces a long drought period for more than four
months.
South Asia has three distinctive seasons
• Rainy Season.
• Cold Season.
• Hot Season.

Rainy Season
• This season is quite hot as well and can be sub divided into two parts
• The period from June to mid September, a time of advancing monsoon winds.
• The period from mid September to mid December. A time of retreating monsoon winds.
• During the hot dry season, due to very high temperatures in the desert and semi desert areas of South Asia, very
low pressure areas are created which eventually cause the out burst of the monsoon. This low pressure area
attracts winds from the India Ocean, South of the equator.
• This winds full of humidity give heavy down pours and is followed by great thunder and lightning. Due to a
combination of Cyclonic or conventional effects. The thirsty plains of the region recover water in abundance
• The duration of this monsoon varies from six month in extreme south of Madras to only six weeks in the Pakistan
area. The actual direction of the winds is controlled by the physical features of South Asia.
• There are two main routes of these monsoon winds. One route starts from the Arabian Sea and scarcely reaches
the north of the Gulf of Cambay. The second routes starts from the Bay of Bengal as an East wind blows up gauges
and reaches Punjab from the south east.
• Heavy down pours are interspersed with the intervals of fine weather, though the sun is seldom seen. Sunny days
are common in the areas which are drier than Bengal such as the Ganges valley. Rainfall reduces temperature in
most part of India and Pakistan.
• Every Exposed area receives at least 75~ (191 cm.) of rainfall during the month of June to October. The areas at 2000
ft. to 3000 ft. in Western ghats and along the ranges in the Eastern ghats at 3000 ft. to 5000 ft. high, receives rainfall
100~ to 200~.
• Some areas fall in the rain shadow large areas behind the ghats which are formed by the interior parts of Bombay,
Andhra states and Mysore states. Also the extreme south eastern part of Madras state which is occupied by east
Nilgris and Cardamom hills. Then there are areas along the Gulf of Mannar in nort western parts of Sri Lanka.

The Cold Season

o This season starts from Mid-December and ends in Late February.
o Cold dry air gradually spreads over northern areas and dominates all south Asian in this cold season.
o During these months, the winters cool the land and a high pressure area is created over the lands of South Asia
o Local variation in heat and cyclones are seen in the neighbor hood of Andaman Islands and travels west or north
west over the Bay of Bengal.
o The mean temperature remains above 70 degree F.
o During the months of November and December, such cyclones bring the heaviest rains to the coastal areas of
Madras Other south Indian uplands east of the ghats and cause a second raining season in Sri Lanka, while the rest
of the Indian territory does not receive many rain in these months. Over the rest of the land of the subcontinent,
anticyclone conditions prevail.
o The winter monsoon moves from west to east and then turns to become North Easterly over the peninsula India.
The rainfall is less than 5~ (13 cm. ) in Punjab and more than 5~ (13 cm.) in the Himlayan areas with cold air
blowing.The plains of Punjab and Sind get a second rainfall season of the year.

The Hot Season

o This season starts in March and ends in late may.

o During this season. The length of the days increases.
o The vertical sun shines very brightly which raises the temperatures.
o In the month of the March, the day time temperature is about 100 degree F. April , the temperature riese up to 110 –
120 degree F. in Rajasthan Area, Sind, Northern Plains of Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.
o The coastal areas have lesser temperatures in the season, particularly in peninsular India, due to local sea breezes
such as in Madras and Bombay where the temperature rise up to 90 degree F. during this season and from 74
degrees F in the cold season.
o Due to the persistent dry and stable air over South Asia from march to may, a low pressure area is created which
continues to drift across the mainland from west to east. At this time, the Kashmir valley gets it’s maximum rainfall
of the year while the rest of the northern areas in Pakistan, Nepal and India have no rainfall but this time dusty
winds blow in this regions.
o In this season in the Bay of Bengal some local conventional storms developed, which are quite disastrous and
sudden showers of rain, hail and very fast winds is seen.