National Conference On Agriculture For Zaid Campaign-2023:
Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister chaired the National Conference on Agriculture for Zaid (Summer) Campaign-2023 in New Delhi.
- 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.
- 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.
