Agricutural regions of kerala

Sajna P T B.Ed in Geography

Agriculture in kerala Kerala, God’s own country, is hugely dependent on its agricuture. Kerala is famous for spices in olden days. It is believed that , the agricutural activities were started from Lohayuga in Kerala. Now , agriculture is the basics of notonly for Kerala but also for the Nation, India.

The important features of agriculture in Kerala are:-

Regional imbalances in agricultural growth.The productivity of crops still remains lower as

compared to other states. Wage rates very high Trends towards mixed cropping pattern, which

helps in reducing risks due to fallin price Existence of Kerala land use act, which prohibits

shift of land under paddy cultivation to any other cropof a particular commodity.

The State Agriculture Department of Kerala classified the state in to different agricultural regions based on 3 criterias,

1.Criteria no. 1 – on the basis of physiography

2. criteria no. 2 – on the basis of soil types

3. Criteria o. 3 – on the basis of agricutural practises i.e, crops and livestock

CRITERIA NO: 1

Kerala is a land withhighly diversified physical features and agro-ecological conditions. The state can be divided into four zones based on the physiographical features:-1.High ranges2.High land3.Mid land4.Low land

1. HIGH RANGES:- These are the Mountain land with elevation ranging from 750-2500 as above MSL along with high ranges. Most area is reserve forest. (1.94 lac ha) . The major crops growing are Tea, Coffee, Rubber, Cardamom

2.HIGH LANDS:- Its elevation ranging from 75-1500 m above MSL,(16.71 lac ha), located of the foot with of WesternGhats. Contains high content of organic matter. The major crops are Tea, Coffee Rubber, Pepper,Cardamom.

3. MID LAND:- The elevation of the land is ranges from 7.5-75.0 m above MSL covering 16.23lac ha. Undulating terrain with rivers, small hills and valleys. Annual and perennial crops are cultivating here like Rice, Coconut, Tapioca,Banana, Sugarcane, Pepper,Ginger, Areacanut, Cashew and Rubber.

4. LOW LAND:-

Strips of land running along the coast bordering the Arabian Sea with a coat line of 590km with an elevation less then 7.5m above sea level. Characterized by backwaters. Land is subjected to salinity intrusion.

Rice, Coconut

Criteria no : II

AGRO-SOIL ZONES OF KERALA:-In the state of Kerala, super imposing six moisture availability regimes over seven soil groups identifies twenty agro-soil zones.

1.DRY FOREST LOAM:- In and around ChinnarPlantation crops other than spices, coconut and tapioca

2. SEMI DRY RED LOAM:- Isolated pockets in Thiruvanthapuramand Neyyattinkara Taluks Coconut, tapioca, paddy and fruits plants likecashew & mango

3. SEMI DRY LATERITE:- Parts of Quilon, Chirayinkeezh, Thiruvanthapuram,

Neyyattinkara & Nedumangad taluk Paddy, coconut and fruit crops like mango andcashew

4.SEMI DRY ALLUVIUM:- River beds and coastal areas of Quilon, Chirayinkeezh,

Thiruvanthapuram Neyyattinkara, OttappalamTalappillly, Palakkad and Alathur Taluks. Paddy, coconut, tapioca, mango and cashew.

5.SEMI DRY BLACK SOIL:- Eastern most parts of Chittur and Palakkad taluks Paddy cotton and Coconut

6. SEMI DRY FOREST LOAM:- Kumily and parts of Peerumedu taluk Tapioca, tea, coffee and rubber

7.SUB HUMID RED LOAM:- Kasaragod and Kannur. Parts of Kasaragod, Hosdurg and

Taliparamba taluks Coconut, cashew, paddy, rubber, pepper and arecanut

8. SUB HUMID LATERITE:- Parts of Kannur, Tirur, Kasaragod, Trichur ,Chittur, Ernad,etc Paddy, coconut, rubber, cashew, pepper,arecanut, tapioca and mango

• 9. SUB HUMID ALLUVIUM:- Coastal areas and river beds Paddy, coconut, Mango, cashew, rubber,

Pepper, arecnut and Tapioca

10.SUB HUMID SALINE:-• Pokkali lands in the coastal partsof

Kanayannur and Cochin taluks• Paddy and Coconut

• 11. SUB HUMID FOREST LOAM:- Parts of Ernad, Mannarkkad, Devikulam and

Pathanapuram Taluks Pepper, tea, cardamom, tapioca and paddy

12. HUMID LATERITE:- Parts of Kasaragod, Taliparamba,

Thalasherry, Qualiandy, Kozhikode,

Vegetables, cashew, folder grass and• pineapple

13. HUMID ALLUVIUM:- western part of Chengannur and Mavelikkara

taluks, coastal areas of cherthala, Ambalapuzha and Karunagapaly

Paddy, coconut, cocoa, tapioca, arecanut, mango and banana

14. HUMID GREYISH- ONATTUKARA:- Onattukara – parts of Mavelikkara, Karunagappally

and Karthikappally taluk Paddy, coconut, Seasamum and tapioca

16. HUMID FOREST LOAM:- Parts of Ernad, south Wayanad and North Wayanad, Kasaragod, Hosdurg,Taliparamba taluks; Thalassery, Pathanamthitta, Pathanapuram,Neyyattinkara, Devikulam and Peerumed taluks Coffee, tea, pepper,cardamom, rubber, ginger,paddy, mango and jack

15. HUMID SALINE:- Around Vembanad lake (areas withacid Saline Soils) Paddy and coconut

17. PER HUMID LATERITE:- Parts of S. Wynad, Quilandy, Ernad, Kunnathunad, Devikulam, Todupuzha, Kothamangalam, Meenachil and Kanjirappally taluks Paddy, coconut, tapioca,rubber, pepper, Arecanut,cocoa, mango, jack,cashew, ginger andbanana

18. PER HUMID FOREST LOAM:-

• A small pocket in and around Vythiri,parts of Devikulam, Thodupuzha andPeerumedu taluk

• Paddy, coconut, coffee, Tapioca, pepper, tea,cocoa and cardamom

19. WET LATERITE:- Parts of South Wynad, Ernad, Mukundapuram, Devikulam,Peerumedu,Pathanamthitta Taluk

Cardamom, Tea, Coffee,Rubber, Pepper, Tapioca,Ginger and Paddy,

20. WET FOREST LOAM:- Parts of Neriamangalam, Devikulam,Thodupuzha, Kanjirappally, Meenachiland Peerumedu Taluk

1. INTENSIVE SUBSISTANCE FARMING ( PADDY DOMINANT):-

The staple crop grown in Kerala Is the rice or paddy. There are about 600 varieties of rice grown in the paddy fields of Kerala. The Kuttanad region of the Alappuzha district of Kerala is known as the 'rice bowl of the state'.

CRITERIA NO: III

Rice Eco Systems of Kerala:- based on topography, soil , abiotic factorsAnd counting of seasonal differences1.Midland and Malayorum ecosystems 2. Palakkadu plains and Chittoor black soil

agro-ecosystem3.Kuttanadu agro-ecosystem4.Pokkali agro-ecosystem5.Onattukara agro-eco system6.High range agro-ecosystem

2. COMMERCIAL PLANTATION :- crops includes coconut, rubber, cashew nut,

banana, tea , coffee, and vanilla. coconut :- tvm, kollam, alappy, pathanam thitta,

ernakulam, trissur, palakkad, malappuram, calicut, kannur &kasargode

Rubber:- kollam, pathanam thitta, kottayam, idukki,

ernakulam, malappuram etc

Cashew nut:- alappuza, ernakulam, malappuram, kozhikode

and kannur

tea, coffee, vanilla:- idukki, wayanad

3. COMMERCIAL SPICE CULTIVATION:- Kerala is famous for spices. Merchants from ancient

Phoenicia travelled to Kerala to take its spices to the Mediterranean lands. There are a wide variety of spices grown here which includes pepper, chilli,cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, cloves etc.

TVM, idukki , ernakulam, malapuram, calicut, kannur & kasarkode.

Agriculture in kerala

4. SPECIALISED HORTI CULTURE:- The major fruit in Kerala are banana & plantain, which are used as vegetable, fruit as well as for processing into chips. Other important fruits grown in the state are mango, pineapple, papaya and Jackfruit. All most all the districts of kerala. A wide variety of vegetables are grown in Kerala. The important vegetables are tapioca, drumsticks, bitter gourd, snake gourd, okra, cucumber, pumpkin, ash gourd, green chillies, brinjal etc. Winter season vegetables like cabbage, carrot, cauliflower etc are grown in high altitude regions of the state namely Wayanad, Idukki and Palakkad.

5. FLORI CULTURE:-

Small quantity of local supplies in form of Jasmine from Alappuzha and Palakkad are prevalent. However, the state has a significant presence in the production of modern flowers like orchids, anthurium ornamental

Even though Kerala based well known companies like “AV Thomas” and “Beena Nursery” started export of live young plants, ornamental plants, cut flowers etc.foliages and cut foliages.

6. COMMERCIAL DIARY FARMING:- The livestock sector in Kerala is concentrated mainly in the rural

areas. Major live stock population of Kerala are Cattle, buffalo, goat, pig,

poultry and duck . There are 22 diaries functioning in Kerala. These diaries are run by both the private and the co-operative sector. Out of the 22 diaries, 12 are in the Co-operative Sector called Milma and 10 are in the private sector or charitable societies.

Government agencies related to Agriculture

Premier Government agencies supporting agricultural activities in kerala include Department of Agriculture,Kerala Agricultural University ,Coconut Development Board,Krishi bhavans,district agricultural farm,regional agricultural training centers,seed farm,soil testing laboratory,Kerala state horticultural products development corporation,State farming corporation of kerala,Kerala kerakarshaka sahakarana federation(KERAFED),The plantation corporation of India,Regional research laboratory,Centre for water resource development and management (CWRDM),Rajeev gandhi centre for biotechnology,Kerala state poultry development corporation.