Rabi Crops — Wheat, Mustard & Pulses

Introduction

Rabi crops are sown after the withdrawal of the monsoon (October-November) and harvested in March-April. This is UP’s most productive agricultural season, as wheat — the state’s most important crop — is a rabi crop. Rabi farming in UP benefits from canal irrigation, tube wells, and cool winter temperatures.

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Rabi Season Calendar

Rabi crops require cool growing conditions and bright sunshine during grain filling, which UP’s winter provides perfectly.

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Wheat (Gehun) — UP’s Crown Crop

Wheat is the single most important crop in Uttar Pradesh and the state’s largest contribution to India’s food security.

Major Wheat-Growing Districts

The western UP wheat belt is the most productive, with the highest per-hectare yields in the country.

Important Wheat Varieties

HD-2967 alone covers the largest area of any single wheat variety in the world.

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Mustard (Sarson) — UP’s Oilseed Powerhouse

The Aligarh-Agra-Etah triangle is UP’s mustard belt. Mustard oil is the primary cooking medium in UP and is also used for “sarson ka saag” preparation.

Mustard Varieties

• Pusa Bold, Varuna (T-59), Kranti — widely cultivated
• GM mustard (DMH-11) is under regulatory review but not yet commercially released

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Gram / Chana (Chickpea)

Gram is the most important rabi pulse in UP and is a lifeline crop for Bundelkhand’s dryland farmers.

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Pea (Matar)

UP leads India in both fresh green pea and dried pea production.

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Potato (Aloo) — A Rabi Vegetable Crop

Though technically a vegetable, potato is grown at scale as a rabi field crop in UP.

The Agra-Farrukhabad-Kannauj belt is the potato capital of India. The extensive cold storage network in UP (especially around Agra) is the largest in the country.

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Other Important Rabi Crops

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MSP and Procurement

The Minimum Support Price (MSP) system is critical for UP’s rabi farmers, especially for wheat and mustard.

UP is among the top 3 states in wheat procurement by FCI every year, contributing significantly to the national food buffer.

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Key Takeaways

• UP is #1 in wheat production (~35 million MT, ~30-33% of India) — western UP leads
• HD-2967 is the most widely sown wheat variety; UP-2338 is developed for late sowing
• UP ranks #2 in mustard (Aligarh-Agra-Etah belt) and #1 in potato (35% of India)
• Gram (chickpea) is the primary rabi pulse — crucial for Bundelkhand’s dryland farming
• UP has India’s largest cold storage network (~2,500 units) for potato storage

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Summary Cheat Sheet