Economy of Uttar Pradesh - Agriculture, Livestock and Fishing

Agriculture, Livestock and Fishing

Uttar Pradesh is a major contributor to the national food grain stock. Partly this is due to the fertile regions of the Indo-Gangetic plain and partly owing to irrigation measures such as the Ganges Canal and tube-wells. Lakhimpur Kheri is a densely populated sugar producing district in the country. It is also home to 78% of national livestock population. It has been the most common producer of food grains in India since the 1950s due to high-yielding varieties of seed, greater availability of fertilizers and increased use of irrigation .

See also: Agriculture in India, Livestock in India, and Fishing in India

Western Uttar Pradesh is more advanced in terms of agriculture as compared to the other regions in the state. Majority of the state population depends upon farming activities. Wheat, rice, pulses, oil seeds and potatoes are the major agricultural products. Sugarcane is the most important cash crop throughout the state. Uttar Pradesh is one of the most important state in India so far as horticulture is concerned. Apples and mangoes are also produced in the state.

Uttar Pradesh supports about 15% of India's total livestock population. Of its livestock in 1961, 15% were cattle, 21% buffaloes, 13% goats and 8% other livestock. Between 1951 and 1956 there was an overall increase of 14% in the livestock population. There are about 8,000 km² of water area, including lakes, tanks, rivers, canals and streams. The fishing area in the state is over 2,000 km² and there are more than 175 varieties of fish(