Agriculture of Bihar

Bihar lies in the river plains of the basin

of the river Ganga. As a result, its land
contains fertile alluvial soil and
groundwater resources. This makes the
agriculture of Bihar rich and diverse. Rice,
wheat, and maize are the major cereal
crops. Arhar, urad, moong, gram, pea,
lentils, and khesaria are some of the
pulses cultivated in Bihar. Bihar is the
fourth largest producer of vegetables,
which is dominated by potato, onion,
eggplant, and cauliflower. In fruit
cultivation, it is the largest producer of
lychee and the third largest producer of
pineapple, as well as a major producer of
mango, banana, and guava. Sugar cane
and jute are two other major cash crops
of Bihar.

Bihar cropping system

The net sown area in Bihar is 60% of its

geographical area. This percentage is
much higher than the all-India average of
42%. Such a high percentage of
cultivated land is possible for two
reasons. First, most of Bihar is a plain
area suitable for agriculture. Second,
most of the forest had been converted
into farmland during the past 2,000
years. Currently, land under forest
constitutes only 6% of the area.

South Bihar is a productive agricultural

center, while North Bihar is hindered by
its flood and drought-prone geography. In
the south, the Ahar-Pyne system of
agriculture has long been used to
cultivate crops.[1]

Food grains

Rice is cultivated in all districts of Bihar.

Autumn rice, aghani rice, and summer
rice are three different varieties of rice
grown at three different times of the year.
The average production of rice is around
5 million tonnes each year. Some five
decades back, wheat cultivation was very
restricted to western districts of Bihar.
After green revolution success, wheat
was planted by Bihari farmers on a larger
scale, and wheat now occupies the
status of major crop of the rabi (spring)
season. The average annual wheat
production is approximately 4-4.5 million
tonnes. Maize is also cultivated, with an
average annual production level of
approximately 1.5 million tonnes and a
steady positive trend in production. The
leading producer districts are Khagaria
and Saharsa. Pulses such as moong,
arhar, peas, and khesari are grown, more
in southern than in northern Bihar. The
leading districts are Patna, Bhojpur,
Aurangabad, and Nalanda.

Horticulture

Bihar is one of the major producers of

vegetables and fruits in India with 9.8
and 6.7 percent of national production
respectively. It ranks third and sixth
among other States in the production of
vegetables and fruits respectively.[2]

Fruticulture

Bihar is one of the largest producers of

fruits and vegetables in the country.[3]
Bihar accounts for 71% of India's annual
litchi production.[4] Makhana cultivation
is done in about 5000 hectares in the
entire country, and produces 90% of the
world's fox nuts.[5][2] In fruit cultivation,
the third largest producer of pineapple,
as well as a major producer of mango,
banana, and guava. Few Bihari Farmers
are turning to strawberry cultivation for
better economical return.[6] Also, better
economical return has attracted former
to cultivate Kamalam (dragon fruit).[7]
Corrigendum one of the world's costliest
crop is now under cultivation in Bihar by
few farmers.[8]
Vegaculture

The total area under vegetable cultivation

is currently about 11% of the state's
gross sown area, and is increasing. The
important vegetable crops include
potato, onion, tomato, cauliflower, and
brinjal. Hajipur in Vaishali is famous for
an early variety of cauliflower that
reaches market in the last week of
September. Production of vegetables is
well dispersed over the districts, with a
concentration of production in some
particular districts. Apart from Patna and
Nalanda (Jehanabad), where vegetable
production is quite extensive, the other
districts with high shares in total
vegetable production are Vaishali,
Muzaffarpur, West Champaran, East
Champaran, Katihar, and Begusarai.[9]

Animal husbandry

Milk

The Dairy co-operative was founded in

1983 to coordinate the work of various
local milk unions. The government
opened Nalanda dairy in 2013 which is
the Largest Automation-based Dairy
Plant in Eastern India. The establishment
of Sudha was a result of White
Revolution. In January 2021,the
organisation had decided to make two
new dairy plants in Bhagalpur and Purnia
districts operational by the next three-
four months each with a capacity of 2
lakh litres per day.[10] The setting of new
plants would help enhance the income of
the milk producers of the region.[10] In
year 2020,Bihar Government started a
dairy plant of 5 lakh litres per day and an
animal fodder plant of 300 MT per day at
Bihian.[10] For setting up dairy plants and
animal fodder plants in the state, the
government had released a sum of Rs 53
crores to Comfed as first instalment out
of Rs 234 crores.[10] In 2018,Bihar State
Milk Co-operative Federation, known as
Sudha, planned at consolidating its
market in Guwahati before expanding its
reach to other states of the Northeast.[11]

Statistics

Maize accounts for 1.5 million MT(or

10% of country production)
Sugar cane produces 13.00 million MT
Litchi production is 0.28 million
MT(Bihar contributes 71% of national
production)
Makhana levels are 0.003 million
MT(Bihar contributes 85% of national
production)
Mango is 1.4 million MT(13% of All
India)
 Vegetable production is 8.60 million
MT (9% of All India)
Honey production is 1300 MT (14% of
All India)
Aromatic rice 0.015 million MT
Milk production: 4.06 million MT.
COMPFED has established 5023
cooperative societies with 2.54 lakh
membership -highest among the
eastern states.
Fishery production levels are 0.27
million lakh MT
[12]
References

1. Koul, D. N.; Singh, S.; G., Neelam; Shukla,

G. (2012). "Traditional water management
systems : An overview of Ahar-pyne
system in South Bihar plains of India and
need for its revival" (https://lib.icimod.or
g/record/20524) . Indian Journal of
Traditional Knowledge. 11 (2): 266–272.
Retrieved 30 November 2023.

2. "bameti.org" (https://bameti.org/wp-conte
nt/uploads/2018/06/State-Profile.pdf)
(PDF).

3. Sinha, Suveen K. (2005-10-25). "Bihar

sees future in fruit, vegetable cultivation"
(https://www.business-standard.com/arti
cle/economy-policy/bihar-sees-future-in-fr
uit-vegetable-cultivation-105102501074_
 1.html) . Business Standard India.
Retrieved 2021-05-17.

4. Das, Anand ST (5 July 2008). "Distressed

Delicacy" (https://web.archive.org/web/20
150214203408/http://archive.tehelka.co
m/story_main39.asp?filename=Bu050708
distresseddelicacy.asp) . Tehelka. Vol. 5,
no. 26. Archived from the original (http://a
rchive.tehelka.com/story_main39.asp?file
name=Bu050708distresseddelicacy.asp)
on 14 February 2015. Retrieved
14 February 2015.

5. Flora of China, "Euryale ferox" (http://ww

w.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&
taxon_id=200007078)

6. Khan, Mohd Imran (23 March 2018).

"Farmers in a part of Bihar are turning to
strawberry cultivation to find sweet
 returns" (https://scroll.in/article/872520/f
armers-in-a-part-of-bihar-are-turning-to-str
awberry-cultivation-to-find-sweet-return
s) . Scroll.in. Retrieved 2021-05-17.

7. "In Bihar, 'Kamalam' has been helping

farmers earn a decent livelihood for years
now" (https://www.hindustantimes.com/c
ities/patna-news/in-bihar-kamalam-has-b
een-helping-farmers-earn-a-decent-liveliho
od-for-years-now-101611547753145.htm
l) . Hindustan Times. 2021-01-25.
Retrieved 2021-05-17.

8. "Corrigendum: World's costliest crop is

now under cultivation in Bihar" (https://w
ww.newindianexpress.com/nation/2021/f
eb/03/corrigendum-worlds-costliest-crop-
is-now-under-cultivation-in-bihar-2258960.
 html) . The New Indian Express. Retrieved
2021-05-17.

9. http://finance.bih.nic.in/Budget/Economic
-Survey-2012-En.pdf

10. Shankar, Rama (24 January 2021).

"Bhagalpur, Purnia to get dairy plants
soon" (https://timesofindia.indiatimes.co
m/city/patna/bhagalpur-purnia-to-get-dair
y-plants-soon/articleshow/80426720.cm
s) . The Times of India. Retrieved
16 March 2021.

11. "Sudha to expand its footprints in

northeast" (https://www.indiancooperativ
e.com/co-op-news-snippets/sudha-to-exp
and-its-footprints-in-northeast/) . 26
November 2018. Retrieved 17 March
2021.
 12. "Archived copy" (https://web.archive.org/
web/20110303181352/http://industries.bi
h.nic.in/Slides01/Presentation.pdf)
(PDF). Archived from the original (http://in
dustries.bih.nic.in/Slides01/Presentation.
pdf) (PDF) on 3 March 2011. Retrieved
2014-11-20.

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