National Conference on Agriculture for Zaid (Summer) Campaign

About National Conference on Agriculture for Zaid (Summer) Campaign:

The objective of the Zaid conference is to review and assess the crop performance during the preceding crop seasons and fix crop-wise targets for the summer season in consultation with State Governments.

What are Zaid crops?

• Zaid or summer crops are grown in the short season between Kharif and Rabi crops, between March and July.
• These crops are mostly grown on irrigated lands and therefore, the farmers do not wait for the monsoon.
• Zaid crops require warm soil and high temperatures (cooling at night) to grow.
• They require warm, dry weather as a vital growth period and longer day length for flowering.
• Most of the vegetables and hybrid cereals are grown in the zaid season.
• Major crops: Paddy, corn; pumpkin, cucumber, tomato; almonds, peanuts, cashews; Gram, lentils, etc.
• Cultivation areas in India: Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu.
• Zaid crop is significant for farmers as it gives fast cash to the farmers and is also known as a gap-filler between two chief crops, Kharif and Rabi.

Q1) What is a Rabi crop?

Rabi crops or rabi harvest are rural crops that are planted in winter and harvested in the spring in India.

Source: Union Agriculture Minister chairs the National Conference on Agriculture for Zaid Campaign-2023