Rice Growing Seasons in India

In India, rice is grown under widely varying conditions of altitude and climate. The climate of India is difficult to lay due to the country's large geographic size and varied topography. Many regions have their own micro climates (e.g. in mountain tops), and the mean climatic conditions in Kashmir (extreme north) are very different from those in the extreme south. India's climate is strongly influenced by The Himalaya and the Thar Desert. The Himalaya ensure, by acting as a barrier to the cold north winds from Central Asia, that northern India is warm or mildly cool during winter and hot during summer. So, India as a whole is considered to be a tropical country.

Therefore, the rice growing seasons vary in different parts of the country, depending upon temperature, rainfall, soil types, water availability and other climatic conditions. In eastern and southern regions of the country, the mean temperature is found favourable for rice cultivation through out the year. Hence, two or three crops of rice are grown in a year in eastern and southern states. In northern and western parts of the country, where rainfall is high and winter temperature is fairly low, only one crop of rice is grown during the month from May to November.

Three Seasons for Rice Cultivation in India

There are three seasons for growing rice in India. These three seasons are named according to the season of harvest of the crop.

Autumn Rice/Pre-Kharif Rice

Summer Rice/Rabi Rice

Winter Rice/Kharif Rice