Climate

• India experiences a Monsoon Climate
• Dry Monsoon from October-June as winds blow over the land and Wet Monsoon from June-September, as winds blow over Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal
• Monsoon rains allow the growth of crops such as Rice which require waterlogged conditions
• Rice is grown on 25% of land
• Rice grown in Paddy fields it requires intensive manual labour and supplies 90% of people’s diet
• Rice grown in the Eastern half of the country e.g. Ganges Valley and Eastern and Western Ghats. In these areas rainfall can be over 2,500 mm.
• A delay in the arrival of the monsoon can delay the planting and harvesting of crops, if the monsoon brings poor rains, it can lead to low yields and food shortages as happened in 1987
• Temperatures are high (20-32 degrees) this allows the production of crops such as rice and sugarcane
• Double cropping often occurs; one crop such as Rice is grown in the wet season, second such as wheat or millet grown in the Dry season.
• North West of India experiences a drier climate, suitable for growth of wheat, millet and chickpeas.