Agro Climatic Zones in Himachal Pradesh

   

•  ZONE 1 ( SHIVALIK HILL ZONE ) :

 - It occupies about 30% of the geographical area  and about 33% of the cultivated area  of the state.

-The altitude of this zone varies from 350-1500m.

-This zone receives 165 mm  of rainfall .

- Soil of this zone are mostly sandy loam in texture with loamy patches.

- Main crops : 

Rice , Wheat , Maize , Jowar, Mango , Litchi , Guava etc.

- Covers the district of Una , Bilaspur, Hamirpur , Kangra ,  Solan , Chamba.

• ZONE 2 ( MID HILL ZONE ) :

- It occupies about 32% of the total geographical area and about 53 % of the cultivated area  of the state.

- This zone extends from an altitude of 800 -1600 m. above sea level , having mid - temperate climate.

- This zone receives 2000mm of rainfall.

- The soil vary from sandy loam to loam in texture.

- Main crops :

Citrus fruits , Tomatoes and vegetables like snowball , cauliflower , root crops.

- Covers the  Palampur in kangra , Rampur in Shimla , Mandi , Solan , Kullu and Chamba.

• ZONE 3 ( HIGH HILL ZONE ) :

- It occupies about 25 % of the total geographical area and about 11% of the cultivated area  of the state.

- It lies from 1801- 2200 m above sea level with humid temperate climate and alpine pastures.

- It receives 400 mm of rainfall.

- The soils are here mostly clayey loam to loam in texture with very acidic reaction. 

- Main Crops : 

Wheat , barley , lesser millets , pseudo - cereals (buckwheat and amaranthus) and maize etc.

- It covers North- western Himalayan  region of the state.

• ZONE 4  (COLD DRY ZONE) :

-  It occupies nearly  6% of the geographical area and 3%of the total  cultivated area  of the state.

- It is  the highest agro- climatic  zone of the state located at a height of 2700 m above sea level.

- It  receives 1030mm of rainfall.

- The soil composition is very loose and is prone to heavy glaciers and avalanches.

- Main Crops :

Quality seed Potato,  vegetables and fruits  like apples, grapes , almonds , walnuts, apricot.

- It covers Kinnaur , Lahaul Spiti , Pangi in chamba district.

• Kangra covers the maximum area under foodgrains ( wheat, maize, paddy ,barley)  in the state followed by Mandi and Hamirpur.

• Mandi covers the maximum area under Pulses followed by Shimla and Sirmaur.

• Kangra covers maximum area under oilseeds followed by Chamba and Una.

•Groundnut , Soyabeen , Sunflower in Kharif and  Rapeseed , Mustard , and Toria are important     oilseed  crops in the Rabi season.

• Urd, Bean , Moong , Rajmash in Kharif season and Gram in Rabi are the important pulse crop of the state. 

•  IADP ( Intensive agricultural development program) was launched in  Mandi (1962 ) and Kangra (1967) in collaboration with west German.

•  SAMETI (State Agricultural Management And Extension Training Institute) is situated at Craignano Mashobra  (15 km from Shimla).

• ATMA  (Agriculture technology management agency)  is a registered society at the  District level.

• Kangra district in H.P gets the highest  rainfall .

• Spiti district in H.P receives lowest rainfall .

• Potato occupies an important place in the economy of H.P . It was introduced as a crash crop on a large scale after the second world war.

High yielding varities which are cultivated at present are Kufri Chandermukhi , Kufri jeevan , Kufri jyoti , Kufri alankar.

• H.P is an important producer of  Ginger .It is raised as crash crop in parts of kullu , Shimla, Sirmaur and kullu.

•  Solan has been declared the Mushroom district of H.P. 

•Kinnaur got a big name in the production of Sugarbeet seed.

• Kuth  plant  was  introduced in Lahual valley in 1925 from Kashmir.  Kuth plant is used as a medicine and in perfumery.

• The Government introduced in 1999-2000, a new scheme titled “National Agricultural Insurance Scheme” (NAIS) or “Rashtriya Krishi Bima Yojana” (RKBY). The scheme is to act as an insurance policy and provide  financial support to farmers in the event of any failure of their notified crops.