Weather-Based Farming Calendar for Different Indian Regions

Timing is everything in farming. Plant too early or too late, and you risk crop failure. This comprehensive weather-based calendar will help you plan your farming activities for maximum yield and profit across different regions of India.

Understanding India's Climate Zones

Zone 1: Northern Plains

States: Punjab, Haryana, Western UP Climate: Hot summers, cold winters Rainfall: 600-900mm (July-September) Major Crops: Wheat, Rice, Cotton, Sugarcane

Zone 2: Western Region

States: Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan Climate: Hot semi-arid to sub-humid Rainfall: 400-900mm (June-September) Major Crops: Cotton, Soybean, Groundnut, Jowar

Zone 3: Southern Region

States: Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh Climate: Tropical to semi-arid Rainfall: 600-1200mm (SW & NE monsoon) Major Crops: Rice, Cotton, Millets, Pulses

Zone 4: Eastern Region

States: West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, Eastern UP Climate: Sub-humid to humid Rainfall: 1000-1500mm (June-September) Major Crops: Rice, Jute, Vegetables

MAHARASHTRA FARMING CALENDAR

KHARIF Season (June - October)

JUNE: Pre-Monsoon Preparation

Weather: Pre-monsoon showers, temperature 30-35°C

Activities:

• Land preparation (plowing, harrowing)
• Soil testing
• Seed procurement
• Check irrigation systems

Crops to Sow (Early June after first rains):

• Cotton (Khandesh region)
• Soybean (Marathwada)
• Groundnut (Vidarbha)
• Jowar (all regions)

CULTAGRIX Tip: Set up weather alerts for first monsoon arrival. Sowing within 48 hours of good rainfall ensures better germination.

JULY: Peak Sowing

Weather: Heavy rainfall, 25-30°C, humidity 80-90%

Activities:

• Complete sowing by mid-July
• Gap filling
• First weeding
• Disease monitoring (high humidity risks)

Crops:

• Pearl Millet (Bajra)
• Maize
• Rice (transplanting in Konkan)
• Tur (Pigeon Pea)

Disease Alert:

• Cotton: Sucking pests (jassids, whiteflies)
• Soybean: Yellow mosaic virus
• Action: Weekly monitoring, early spray

AUGUST: Crop Management

Weather: Continuous rainfall, 25-28°C

Activities:

• Intercultural operations
• Weed management (critical month)
• Nutrient management (top dressing)
• Disease and pest control

Critical Tasks:

• Cotton: First flowering, apply potash
• Soybean: Pod formation, foliar spray
• Monitor waterlogging in low-lying areas

CULTAGRIX Feature: Weather-based spray advisory - know exactly when to spray for maximum effectiveness

SEPTEMBER: Mid-Season Care

Weather: Rainfall decreasing, 25-30°C

Activities:

• Monitor pest populations
• Flowering stage care
• Pod/boll formation monitoring
• Supplementary irrigation if needed

Harvest:

• Early Jowar varieties
• Vegetables (okra, bitter gourd)

OCTOBER: Harvest Preparation

Weather: Clear skies, 25-30°C, low humidity

Activities:

• Stop irrigation
• Monitor crop maturity
• Arrange harvest labor/machinery
• Clean storage facilities

Harvest:

• Soybean (end of October)
• Early Cotton pickings
• Rice (Konkan region)

RABI Season (November - March)

NOVEMBER: Rabi Sowing

Weather: Cool, dry, 20-28°C

Activities:

• Land preparation after Kharif harvest
• Sowing of Rabi crops
• Residual soil moisture utilization

Crops to Sow:

• Wheat (November 1-20 is ideal)
• Chickpea (Chana)
• Safflower
• Jowar (Rabi)
• Vegetables (tomato, onion, cabbage)

Irrigation: Critical for germination

DECEMBER: Crop Establishment

Weather: Cold, dry, 15-25°C, possibility of frost in North Maharashtra

Activities:

• First irrigation (21-25 days after sowing)
• Weed control
• Monitor for cold damage

Critical:

• Wheat: CRI stage (Crown Root Initiation) - crucial irrigation
• Chickpea: Flowering begins
• Vegetables: Pest management

JANUARY: Winter Management

Weather: Coldest month, 10-20°C, morning fog

Activities:

• Monitor for diseases (high humidity due to fog)
• Wheat: Second irrigation (tillering stage)
• Chickpea: Pod formation stage

Disease Alert:

• Wheat: Yellow rust (if temperature <15°C)
• Gram: Wilt and blight
• Immediate action required

FEBRUARY: Pre-Harvest

Weather: Temperature rising, 15-28°C

Activities:

• Final irrigation for wheat
• Monitor crop maturity
• Grain filling stage

Harvest:

• Early chickpea
• Vegetables in full swing

MARCH: Rabi Harvest

Weather: Hot, dry, 25-35°C

Activities:

• Wheat harvesting (mid to late March)
• Chickpea harvesting
• Immediate threshing to prevent grain damage

Market Timing: Early harvest gets better prices

SUMMER Season (April - May)

APRIL-MAY: Summer Crops

Weather: Very hot, 35-42°C, water stress

Crops:

• Watermelon, Muskmelon
• Summer vegetables (bottle gourd, ridge gourd)
• Green fodder
• Irrigated areas only

Activities:

• Frequent irrigation (every 3-4 days)
• Mulching to conserve moisture
• Prepare for Kharif season

PUNJAB FARMING CALENDAR

Kharif Season

MAY: Rice Nursery

Weather: Hot, 35-42°C

Activities:

• Prepare rice nurseries (mid-May)
• Pre-sowing irrigation
• Apply herbicides

Varieties: PR-126, PR-129 (recommended)

JUNE: Rice Transplanting

Weather: Monsoon arrival, 30-38°C

Activities:

• Transplanting after June 10 (government advisory)
• Saves groundwater
• Ensures timely harvest

Spacing: 20cm x 15cm for better yields

JULY-SEPTEMBER: Rice Management

Activities:

• Nitrogen application (split doses)
• Weed management
• Monitor for pests (stem borer, leaf folder)

Irrigation: Every 3-4 days, maintain 2-3 inch standing water

OCTOBER: Rice Harvest

Weather: Cool, 25-30°C

Activities:

• Harvesting (when 80% grains turn golden)
• Immediate threshing
• Paddy straw management

CULTAGRIX Alert: Know exact harvest timing for maximum grain weight

Rabi Season

NOVEMBER: Wheat Sowing

Weather: Cool, 15-25°C

Activities:

• Early sowing (November 1-15) for higher yields
• Seed rate: 100kg/hectare
• Ensure proper seed bed preparation

Varieties: PBW-677, HD-3086

DECEMBER-FEBRUARY: Wheat Management

Activities:

• Irrigation at CRI, tillering, jointing, flowering, milk stages
• Weed control (30-35 days after sowing)
• Monitor for rusts

Disease Management:

• Yellow rust alert in January (cold weather)
• Apply fungicides if symptoms appear

MARCH-APRIL: Wheat Harvest

Activities:

• Harvesting when grains harden
• Moisture content: 12-14% for storage
• Market linkage

TAMIL NADU FARMING CALENDAR

Two Monsoon Advantage

Southwest Monsoon (June-September) Northeast Monsoon (October-December)

Kuruvai Season (June-September)

JUNE-JULY: Rice Sowing

Activities:

• Short-duration rice varieties
• Transplanting with first monsoon rains
• Delta regions: main season

AUGUST-SEPTEMBER: Management & Harvest

Samba Season (August-January)

AUGUST: Main Rice Season

Activities:

• Nursery preparation
• Long-duration varieties (Samba)

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER: Transplanting

Weather: Northeast monsoon begins

Activities:

• Transplanting in Cauvery delta
• Ensure adequate water storage

NOVEMBER-JANUARY: Crop Management

Activities:

• Nutrient management
• Pest and disease control
• Harvest in January

Navarai Season (January-May)

Summer rice cultivation

• Irrigated areas only
• Water availability is critical

UTTAR PRADESH FARMING CALENDAR

Eastern UP (Rice-Wheat)

Similar to Bihar/West Bengal pattern

Kharif: Rice (June-October) Rabi: Wheat (November-March)

Western UP (Similar to Punjab)

Kharif: Rice, Sugarcane Rabi: Wheat

Sugarcane: Annual crop, planted February-March

GUJARAT FARMING CALENDAR

Kharif Season

JUNE-JULY: Cotton & Groundnut

Weather: Monsoon, 28-35°C

Activities:

• Cotton (major crop in Saurashtra)
• Groundnut (North Gujarat)
• Pearl millet

AUGUST-OCTOBER: Management

Focus: Cotton pest management (bollworms)

Rabi Season

NOVEMBER-MARCH: Wheat, Pulses, Cumin

Cumin: Specialty crop of Gujarat

• Sowing: November
• Harvest: February-March

Weather-Based Decision Making

Key Weather Parameters

1. Temperature

• Sowing window: Optimum temperature range
• Frost risk: Cold-sensitive crops
• Heat stress: Summer crops

2. Rainfall

• Monsoon arrival date
• Distribution pattern
• Dry spell management

3. Humidity

• Disease outbreak risk (>80%)
• Post-harvest drying

4. Wind

• Lodging risk in wheat/rice
• Spray timing

CULTAGRIX Weather Features

7-Day Hyperlocal Forecast:

• Village-level accuracy
• Hourly predictions
• Rain probability

Smart Alerts:

• Heavy rain warnings
• Frost alerts
• Heat wave notifications
• Disease outbreak risk

Farming Advisories:

• Best days for sowing
• Ideal spray timing
• Irrigation scheduling
• Harvest planning

Decision Examples:

Example 1: Cotton Spraying

• Bad timing: Before rain (pesticide washed away)
• Good timing: 24 hours before 3-day dry spell
• Savings: ₹2,000-₹3,000 per spray

Example 2: Wheat Sowing

• Late sowing: 10 days delay = 50-100 kg/acre yield loss
• Early alert: CULTAGRIX temperature forecast helps time sowing
• Additional profit: ₹5,000-₹10,000/acre

Example 3: Rice Harvest

• Rain during harvest: Grain quality loss, market price drops by 30%
• Weather-based planning: Harvest during 5-day dry window
• Price advantage: ₹200-₹300 per quintal

Financial Impact of Weather-Based Farming

Investment:

• CULTAGRIX Pro Plan: ₹2,999/year (or ₹299/month)
• Features: Weather alerts, crop calendars, disease warnings

Returns:

• Timely sowing: +15-20% yield
• Optimal spraying: Save 30-40% pesticide costs
• Disease prevention: Reduce crop loss by 60%
• Harvest timing: +10-15% price realization

Total Benefit: ₹35,000-₹75,000 per year ROI: 1100-2400%

Ready to Farm Smarter?

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What You Get: ✅ 7-day hyperlocal weather forecasts ✅ Region-specific crop calendars ✅ Smart farming alerts ✅ Disease outbreak warnings ✅ Irrigation scheduling ✅ Harvest timing recommendations

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Disclaimer: This content is generated by CULTAGRIX AI for informational and educational purposes only. While we strive for accuracy, farming practices should be adapted to your specific conditions. Always consult with local agricultural experts and follow government guidelines for best results. CULTAGRIX is not liable for any crop losses or damages resulting from the use of this information.