Last reviewed 4 Nov 2026 · Facts as of 4 Nov 2026 · 2 min read
1. Seasons
| Season | Sowing | Typical crops |
|---|---|---|
| Kharif (monsoon) | June – July | Ragi, paddy, maize, jowar, tur, groundnut, cotton |
| Rabi (winter) | October – November | Jowar (north Karnataka rabi jowar), wheat, Bengal gram, sunflower, safflower |
| Summer | February – March | Paddy, groundnut and vegetables under irrigation |
Most farming is rain-fed; the north-eastern plateau is drought-prone.
2. Major crops and where they grow
| Crop | Main areas | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Ragi (finger millet) | South Karnataka — Tumakuru, Hassan, Mandya, Bengaluru Rural, Kolar | Karnataka is India's largest producer |
| Paddy | Canal commands (Mandya, Mysuru, Raichur, Koppal, Ballari, Davanagere, Shivamogga) and the coast | |
| Jowar | North Karnataka (Vijayapura, Kalaburagi, Belagavi) | Rabi jowar on black soil |
| Maize | Davanagere, Haveri, Belagavi, Ballari | |
| Pulses (tur, Bengal gram) | Kalaburagi ("tur bowl"), Bidar, Vijayapura | |
| Sugarcane | Belagavi (largest), Mandya, Bagalkot, Vijayapura | |
| Cotton | Dharwad, Haveri, Raichur, Ballari | |
| Oilseeds | Groundnut (Chitradurga, Tumakuru), sunflower, safflower |