CORE Key Points at a Glance

  1. 1

    ~70% of Rajasthan's population depends on agriculture and allied activities; agriculture contributes ~21% to GSDP (सकल राज्य घरेलू उत्पाद).

  2. 2

    Rajasthan is India's #1 producer of Mustard/Rapeseed (~46.13% of national production), Bajra (~44.66%), and Guar (~90.36% of national and ~80% of global production).

  3. 3

    Rajasthan is #1 in India for barley production and #1 in India for coriander and cumin production.

  4. 4

    Total food grain production in 2024-25: 267.67 lakh tonnes; oilseeds: 96.17 lakh tonnes; cotton: 18.45 lakh bales.

  5. 5

    Rajasthan covers ~10.4% of India's geographical area; the state geographic average is ~531 mm/year (IMD), but the arid western zone (Thar Desert, two-thirds of the state) receives <250 mm, dragging the agricultural-zone weighted average to ~313 mm.

  6. 6

    Only ~37% of the cultivated area is irrigated; well/tubewell accounts for ~70% of irrigated area; canals ~20%.

  7. 7

    10 agro-climatic zones (कृषि-जलवायु क्षेत्र) defined for Rajasthan, each with distinct cropping patterns based on rainfall, soil, and terrain.

  8. 8

    Western arid zone: bajra, guar, moth bean (Kharif) + wheat, mustard, cumin (Rabi); Eastern fertile zone: wheat, mustard, gram dominate.

  9. 9

    IGNP (Indira Gandhi Nahar Pariyojana) transformed ~1.4 million hectares of Thar Desert into cultivable land; now ~6.6 lakh ha under command area irrigation.

  10. 10

    Kinnow oranges (Sri Ganganagar), dates (Jaisalmer), chilli (Jodhpur/Mathania), and coriander (Baran, Jhalawar) are major horticultural commodities.

  11. 11

    Rajasthan is #1 in India in wool production (~45% of national output) and has internationally recognised livestock breeds: Tharparkar cow, Rathi cow, Nagauri bull, Marwari horse.

  12. 12

    Rajasthan ranks 2nd in India in groundnut production (~18.76% national share) and 3rd in gram, jowar, total pulses, and soybean.

  13. 13

    Rajasthan Agricultural Policy 2023 targets doubling farmer income by 2027, promoting drip irrigation and micro-irrigation on 11 lakh additional hectares.

  14. 14

    Carbon credit pilot (March 2026): Rajasthan Agriculture Department signed MoU with IORA Ecological Solutions for pilot in Bansur (Alwar), Mahua (Dausa), and Malpura (Tonk) blocks.

  15. 15

    Bharat-VISTAAR AI agriculture platform launched in Jaipur (February 18, 2026) by Union Agriculture Minister — voice-first advisory via helpline 155261, accessible without a smartphone. / 18 फरवरी 2026 को जयपुर में 'भारत-विस्तार' AI कृषि मंच लॉन्च; हेल्पलाइन 155261 पर सुलभ।

PREDICTED Predicted RAS Questions

Based on PYQ trends and 2026 syllabus analysis

1 5M Name the major Kharif and Rabi crops of Rajasthan. Which districts are major producers of mustard? 5 marks · 50 words

Model Answer

Major Kharif crops: bajra, guar (cluster bean), jowar, groundnut, cotton, moth bean, sesame. Major Rabi crops: mustard, wheat, gram (chickpea), barley. Rajasthan produces ~46% of India's mustard — major districts: Bharatpur, Alwar, Dholpur, Sawai Madhopur, Sriganganagar, Sikar, and Tonk. Mustard thrives in light alluvial soils with winter moisture from Western Disturbances.

~50 words • 5 marks

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