About Tamil Nadu Agriculture

Agriculture is the primary and oldest industry in Tamil Nadu.
Agriculture is the process by which humans grow large quantities of crops for food and other uses.
Agriculture includes the cultivation of crops, animal husbandry, poultry, fish, and forestry activities.
56 percent of the total population of Tamil Nadu is engaged in agriculture. The agricultural sector provides food for men and fodder for livestock.
The raw materials required for various industries are also available from the agriculture sector.

Crop Breeding Methods - The method of crop cultivation varies according to the respective regions in Tamil Nadu and accordingly, the method of crop cultivation can be classified as follows.

Intensive Subsistence Farming - The practice of growing food grains for self-consumption on a small scale of arable land is called subsistence agriculture. The majority of the farmers in Tamil Nadu follow this system depending on the nature and utilization of irrigation sources the farming system can be classified as follows,

• Subsistence Farming (Nanjai Agriculture)
• Crop Farming (Punjai Agriculture)
• Irrigated agriculture (Neerpaasana Agriculture)

Irrigated Agriculture (Neerpaasana Agriculture) - Irrigated agriculture is the cultivation of crops by man-made irrigation throughout the year. Water can be brought to the field through wells, ponds, and canals. Cotton and sugarcane cultivation in Tamil Nadu depends on irrigation facilities.

Subsistence Farming (Nanjai Agriculture) - Nanjai agriculture is farming done on hilly or irrigated lands that have access to water throughout the year. Rice and sugarcane are staple crops. Most of the river basins in Tamil Nadu have this type of farming.

Crop Farming (Punjai Agriculture) - Cultivation done in non-irrigated lands that depend only on monsoon rains is Punjai agriculture. Small grains are Punjai crops. This farming system is practiced in the hilly areas of dry districts like Vellore, Thiruvannamalai, Ramanathapuram, and Tirunelveli.

Plantation Farming (Thotta Payir Vivasayam) - Plantation farming is a type of agriculture. Cultivation of the crop is done on large plantations or farms. Crops like tea, coffee, rubber, and pepper are cultivated as garden crops on the hill slopes of Tamil Nadu.

Mixed Farming (Kalappu Vivasayam) - This type of farming involves growing multiple crops on very large tracts of land, as well as raising livestock (kaalnadai), fish, bees, and birds. This method of farming is a profitable method of permanent income for the farmers.

Market Gardening (Sandhai Thotta Payir Vivasayam) - The pods, fruit, and flowers are grown in large gardens for sale in the city market. They are also grown for domestic and foreign markets. This type of agriculture is mostly found in Madurai, Nilgiris, Thiruvallur, and Kanchipuram districts.