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HARYANA

Geographical position and climate

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The state of Haryana extends between 27 39’ to 30 55’N latitude and 74 27’ to 77 36’
Elongitude with an altitude ranging between 200 and 300 meters above the mean sea level.
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Haryana is one of the smallest states in the country with a total geographical area of 44,222 km .
The state of Haryana falls under Trans-Gangetic plain region and have been further divided in
two agro climatic zones viz. eastern and western zones. Eastern zone of Haryana is also called as
wet zone. It receives more rains in northern and less in southern parts. The mean annual rainfall
ranges from 500 mm to more than 1000 mm. More than 75% of annual rainfall is received during
SW monsoon season. Out of remaining, 10-15% rainfall is received in winters and 10% in
summer. Temperatures vary greatly in this zone. May and June are the hottest months (20 ºC to
40 ºC) and January and February are the coldest months (6-8 ºC).

About 50% of the workforce derives its livelihood from agriculture. In relation to that,
agriculture contributes just 18% to the State’s GDP. Agriculture sector splits across 93% crops
and livestock, 4% commercial forestry and lodging and 2% fisheries agriculture sector of
Haryana with only less than 1.4% area of India, contributes 15% food grain to the central food
security public distribution system and 7% of the national agricultural export including 60% of
total national basmati rice export. Administratively, Haryana is divided into 22 districts. The
state has bowl shaped topography. As a consequence of this unique physiographic setting,
Haryana persistently faces the twin problem of poor drainage and water logging on the one hand
and flooding on the other.

Soils

The soils in Haryana are formed on an alluvial base in the plains. By and large, the Indo-
Gangetic alluvial plains cover a large part of the state. A chunk of young alluvial soils is of
recent origin (Entisols, area 28%) with incomplete profile zoining. On the other hand, relatively
older alluvial soils (soil Order Inceptisols, area 58%) display somewhat better differentiated soil
profile. Compared to the soils of alluvial origin, wind borne soils (Aridisols, area 9%) hardly
display any visible profile development.The soils of Haryana are generally deep and fertile.
There are some expansions, however including the eroded lands of the healy north east and the
sandy areas south west that fringe the Thar desert of Rajasthan. Most of the states land is arable,
but much requires irrigation. The water table is high alongside Yamuna River and in the
depressions of Aravalli hills. Soil salinity has developed in certain places due to poor drainage.
Characteristics of soil pH was found to vary from 6.80 to 9.80 and soluble salt (EC) content from
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0.09 to 4.80 dS m in 1:2 soil water ratio with a mean of 0.79 dS m . CaCO 3 varied from traces
to 2.07% and texturally the soils varied from sand to loam. Soils were neutral to alkaline, mostly
non saline. The current status of N, P, K, S, Zn, Fe, Mn, Cu and B deficiency in soils of the state