Major Crops : Agriculture
Wheat: Wheat is a cereal grain that is widely cultivated in many parts of the world. Wheat has been one of the most important staple food among human beings for ages. It has high nutritional value. The major producers of wheat are the USA, Canada, Argentina, Russia, Ukraine, Australia, and India. Wheat is extensively cultivated in almost all continents with important exceptions being Antarctica and few remote islands.
Millets: Millets are the ancestors of modern cereals. They are hardy, drought-resistant plants that can thrive under harsh conditions although they need only moderate amounts of rainfall to grow. Known as coarse grains-can be grown on less fertile and sandy soils-a hardy crop that needs low rainfall and high to moderate temperature and adequate rainfall- Jowar, bajra and ragi are grown in India-also in Nigeria, China and Niger.
Maize: Maize also known as corn is grown primarily in North America, Brazil, China, Russia, Canada, India, and Mexico. Maize is included in list of major cash crops of the world. Maize is grown primarily for food. Corn meal is the grain harvested from the maize crop.
Cotton: Cotton is a shrub native to tropical, subtropical and mid-latitude regions around the world, spanning the China, USA, India, Pakistan, Brazil and Egypt. It’s one of the world’s most important crops economically because of its wide applications for textiles including cotton fabrics,twine, yarn and woven cloth.
Jute: Jute is reputed as the Golden Fibre. It grows well on alluvial soil- requires high temperature, heavy rainfall and humid climate- grown in the tropical areas-Leading producers of Jute are India and Bangladesh.
Coffee: Coffee is the world’s second most valuable legal agricultural export by value, after Tea. It is one of the most extensively traded commodities in the world, and hence its price is subjected to fluctuations in the global market. Coffee requires a warm and wet climate and well-drained loamy soil-Hill slopes are more suitable for the growth of crop-Leading producers are Brazil followed by Columbia and India.
Tea: Tea is the most widely used beverage in the world after water. Its popularity is attributed to its remedial properties. It is used as an herbal medicine for curing colds and flu. It is a beverage crop grown on plantations-requires cool climate and well-distributed high rainfall throughout the year for the growth of its tender leaves-needs well-drained loamy soils and gentle slopes-Kenya, India, China, Sri Lanka produce the best quality tea in the world.