National Conference on Agriculture for Zaid Campaign-2023 and Updates

The National Conference on Agriculture for Zaid Campaign-2023, chaired by Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shri Narendra Singh Tomar, mentioned about the historic agricultural production of 323 million tonnes(As per Advanced estimates).

• The number of Kisan Samriddhi Kendras has now increased to 12,000, which will help farmers with the procurement of fertilizers and other agricultural inputs.
• The PM-PRANAM scheme, aimed at reducing the usage of chemical urea, is running smoothly, benefiting farmers across the country.
• The Centre is introducing a Seed Traceability system that ensures the availability of quality seeds to farmers, promoting sustainable agriculture.
• The Pesticide Management System will be implemented to manage and control the usage of pesticides and prevent the adverse effects of pesticide overuse.

What is Zaid crops?

Zaid crops, also known as summer or short duration crops, are a group of crops that are grown during the hot and humid monsoon season. These crops are mainly grown in the plains of North India and are crucial for the food security and livelihood of millions of farmers.

Essential facts about Zaid crops:

The most common Zaid crops include watermelon, muskmelon, cucumber, bitter gourd, pumpkin, cowpea, and green gram. These crops have a short duration of 60-90 days and are harvested before the arrival of the winter season.

Zaid crops are crucial for the farmers as they provide an additional source of income during the off-season. These crops also help in the efficient utilization of land and water resources. In addition, they are an important source of nutrition for the local population.

Zaid crops require well-drained soils with good fertility and water-holding capacity. They grow well in hot and humid conditions, with a temperature range of 25-35°C. These crops require frequent irrigation and proper pest management to ensure a good yield.

Zaid crops are mainly grown in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh. These states have a large number of small and marginal farmers who depend on Zaid crops for their livelihood. The farmers face various challenges in the cultivation of Zaid crops, such as inadequate irrigation facilities, high input costs, low productivity, and lack of market access. In addition, the changing climate patterns and increasing pest attacks pose a significant threat to the crops. Government is taking sufficient steps to alleviate these issues and help farmers cultivate promptly.