Cropping Calendar (Definition, objectives, utility, importance, procedure of preparation, and types of crop calendar)
Definition of Cropping Calendar
Crop calendar is the schedule of cultural operation needed in crop production with respect to time.
Objectives of Cropping Calendar
The main objective of a crop calendar is to know in advance the timing of cultural practices of different crops. Other objectives are given below.
- To know the actual time of sowing and harvesting of different crops.
- To facilities for managing money.
- To assist in the proper distribution of labor.
- To assist inefficient management of crops.
- To know the actual time for applying fertilizer and pesticides.
- To record the results of different agricultural practices.
Utility/Importance of Cropping Calendar
- A crop calendar indicates the period /time at which the production Practices of each crop have to be done.
- It systematized forming and help in efficient farm management.
- It helps the bankers in the distribution of loans to the farmer and realization of the loans from the farmers.
The procedure of Preparation of Cropping Calendar
- To prepare a crop calendar, the production practices needed for crops are enlisted with respect to time, usually in tabular form under some main heads. e.g. land preparation, sowing/planting time, intercultural operation, harvesting, post-harvest operation, etc.
- The convenience of using time is usually taken as a month.
- As becoming the time of a particular operation may prolong for a different month, it has to be indicated in the crop calendar accordingly.
Types of Crop calendar
1. Tabular crop calendar. a. Descriptive, b. Month wise
- Land preparation
- Sowing/transplanting
- Cultural Operation
- Harvesting
- Post-harvest operation
2. Graphical Crop calendar.
- Horizontal
- Vertical
- Circular
3. Pictorial crop calendar