Agriculture
Agrometeorology :: Cropping Pattern :: High Altitude Zone

HIGH ALTITUDE AND HILLY ZONE

Districts: The Nilgiris, Salem, Namakkal, Vellore, Dindigul, Thirunelveli, Theni, Trichy and Cuddalore

This zone covers the hilly regions, namely, 1. Nilgiris, 2, Shevroys, 3. Elagiri - Javadhu hills, 4.Kollimalai, 5. Pachaimalai, 6.Anamalais, 7.Pulneys and 8. Podhigai malai. The Hilly and Tribal agro - climatic zone shows considerable diversity in physiography, climate, soils, irrigation, rainfall, cropping pattern, etc. The rainfall varies from 850 mm in Kalrayan Hills to 4500 mm in Anamalai Hills.

1. Nilgiris Hills

The Nilgiris district known as "The Queen of Hill Stations" is situated at an elevation of 900 to 2636 meters above MSL.  The climate is temperate to sub-tropical.  The average annual rainfall ranges from 950 to 1550 mm. The total geographical area is 2, 54, 381 ha. The topography of this district is rolling and steep.  About 60% of the cultivable land falls under the slope ranging from 10 to 33%.  Nilgiris, being basically a Horticultural District and the crops grown are potato, cabbage, carrot, garlic, beans, paddy, ginger, tea, coffee, pepper, orange and cut flowers.

SUGGESTED CROPPING PATTERN

  • Reduce 10% area under tea and coffee during next five years
  • Replace by rosemary and thyme, potato, cabbage, radish and carrot (grow these crops in terrace)
  • Cut flowers

2. Salem

a. Crops cultivated in the area

Coffee is the major crop grown in Shevroys besides mandarin orange, jack, pine apple, banana, guava, annona, spices like pepper, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and cardamom, flowers like anthurium, gerbera, orchids, dahlia, vegetable like beans, chow chow, cauliflower, tomato, tapioca, carrot, beetroot etc.

The low lying areas of the Shevroys are being cultivated with paddy, ragi, samai, varagu, maize, onion, banana, coconut, tamarind, mango, wheat, mustard etc.,

3. Dindigul District

Lower Pulney Hills

Geographical distribution of area
Lower Pulney hills


The Pulney hills (of Western ghat) is situated in Kodaikanal Taluk of Dindigul District.  The hills are divided into two distinct geographical zones viz., The Upper and Lower Pulneys.  The Lower Pulneys consist of peaks from 1000 to 1500 M height separated from one another by steep wooded valleys. The Lower Pulney hills enjoy a subtropical climate, with a maximum temperature of 20 oC to 30 oC, and a minimum of 15 oC to 20 oC.  The rainfall is around 1455 mm.  Nearly, 43 to 46% of the rainfall is received during the North East monsoon.  The South West monsoon, summer showers and winter season rains account for 25%, 22% and 5% respectively. Soils of the Pulney hills fall under the broad soil group “Laterite’. 

Major crops/cropping pattern/cropping systems


In the Lower Pulney hills, farming is mainly done under rainfed conditions.  Under the Lower Pulney hills condition, coffee is grown as a base crop under multitier cropping system. In this system cash crops like banana, orange, pepper and chow-chow are mostly grown as inter crops.  Pineapple is grown in some rocky patches as single crop or inter crop with banana, orange, etc.,  Cardamom was normally grown in reserve forests earlier, but now in patta lands.

Multitier cropping system

  • Coffee + banana + orange
  • Coffee + orange + silver oak (or) jack (with pepper)
  • Coffee + orange + silver oak
  • Coffee + chow chow
  • Coffee + orange + chow chow
  • Coffee + lime + jack (or) silver oak
  • Pine apple + banana
  • Pine apple + orange

Suggested cropping pattern

  • Lower Palani hills – Coffee, Mandarin, Cocoa, Vanilla, Chowchow,

      Pineapple, French beans, Avocado, Cardamom, Pepper

  • Cut flowers
  • Upper Palani hills – Potato, Pear, Peaches, Plums, Apple Garlic,

     Cabbage, Cauliflower, Ginger

4. Coimbatore district

Anamalai hills 

The Anamalai hill region is situated in the Western ghat, and belongs to Coimbatore District. This Hill is situated in Pollachi taluk of Coimbatore district and is surrounded by Kerala state in the west and south and Udumalpet taluk in the East. The total geographical area of this hill zone is 97280 acres, and the altitude ranges from 800 to 1200m above MSL. The annual mean maximum and minimum temperature are 280C and 130C respectively and the relative humidity ranges from 50-90%. High and evenly distributed rainfall is observed in the Anamalai hills. This zone is benefited by both the monsoons.  Southwest and Northeast monsoon, An average rainfall of 400m received annually with a range of 3000mm to 4500mm.  South west monsoon is most effective accounting 77% of the total rainfall. The Soil type in Anamalai hills is mostly acidic (pH ranges from 4.5 to 5.5 in tea plantations and 5.5 to 7.0 in other plantations.)

Major crops / cropping pattern / cropping systems

Perennial plantation crops like tea and coffee occupy major areas in this zone.  Cardamom, cinchona are the other crops.  Spices crops like nutmeg and fruit crops like oranges, banana and citrus are grown in limited area. Cereals, millets and vegetables are cultivated in some pockets by the tribals of this zone.

5. Namakkal district
Kolli hills

Kolli hills with a peak of 1,300 m belongs to Namakkal district. The mean annual temperature ranges from 140C to 280C. The average annual rainfall of the hill is around 1600mm of which a major portion is obtained during the months of September, October and November. The soils are deep to very deep, non- calcareous and developed from weathered gneiss.

Major crops, cropping pattern and cropping systems

Pine - apple and banana are the major horticultural crops grown. Tapioca, acid lime, mango, coffee, cardamom, coriander, jack, orange and guava are also cultivated on a large scale. Ginger, turmeric, pepper and mustard are grown in certain pockets only. Chillies is the major vegetable crop grown on a commercial basis. In levelled areas and in some valleys, paddy, is grown. It is the only irrigated crop, grown in this hill tract. Besides paddy, ragi,small millets and pulses are also grown. Irrigation is only through the natural streams and flooding is the irrigating method followed. 

6. Cuddalore and Salem
Kalrayan districts

The Kalrayan hills measure 16 miles from North to south and 23 miles from East to west. The Southern side lies in the North eastern part of the Salem district, while the Northern part lies in Cuddalore district. They are respectively called as chinnakalrayan and periyakalrayan hills. Agriculture is the main occupation of the people. The elevation of the hills ranges between 760 m – 1370 m above mean sea level. It enjoys a mild tropical climate with a mean annual rainfall of about 860 mm. The Major share of rainfall is obtained during north east monsoon period especially in the months of October and November.  The soil in the hill is reddish brown to dark red, shallow to moderately deep, fine loamy, non - calcareous, excessively drained and subjected the severe erosion and run off.

Major crops / cropping pattern / cropping system

Tapioca is the major horticultural crop which is cultivated over an area of 1542.16% ha. The other crops are chillies, banana, turmeric and coriander which are grown only in some pockets.  The major food crop grown are cereals and millets (paddy, cholam, samai, thenai and varagu) which are cultivated in larger area.

7. Salem and Trichy districts

Pachamalai hills

Pachamalai hill is situated in the two districts of Salem and Trichy of Tamil Nadu. Generally the elevation of Pachamalai ranges from 1000 metres above MSL to 1200 metres. Sub - tropical climate prevails with a maximum temperature ranging between 23 to 310C, and a minimum temperature range of 120C to 180C. A maximum of 1250 mm had been recorded so far in the past ten years. Generally Maximum amount of rainfall is received only during Northeast monsoon (i.e.,) in the months of September, October and November. Southwest monsoon rains are received during the months of June, and August. The northeast monsoon rains are however more dependable. The soils are classified as hill soils.

Major crops / cropping pattern / cropping system

  • Paddy, Thenai, Samai, Ragi,
  • Paddy, Cumbu,Gingelly,
  • Paddy, Ragi, Samai ,
  • Fruit trees
  • Dry Paddy is the major crop. Only local variety is grown is this hill.

8. Vellore district

Yelagiri and Javadhu hills

Yelagiri and Javadhu hills are within the district boundaries of Vellore district. The Javadhu hills have an elevation of 762 meters.
                  The temperature of Yelagiri hills during summer (April) reaches 270 C and the minimum temperature goes down in winter (December - January) to 110C. It is comparative dry climate with low humidity of 45-50. The mean annual rainfall for Elagiri hills is 1026.16mm with maximum of 131.8 mm during South West monsoon and 333.7 mm during Northeast monsoon. Javadhu hills enjoys an equable climate. During the cold season there is a substantial amount of dewfall which generally benefits the vegetation. The mean maximum temperature is 36.60C Minimum temperature ranges from 20.70C to 26.00C, The mean annual rainfall for Javadhu hills is 1100.85 mm with 480mm in south west monsoon (June - September) and 429 mm in North east monsoon (October - December).
                  About 50 percent of the land area is red loam clay and sandy soil, roughly constituting 13 and 12 percent respectively.

Major crops / cropping pattern / cropping systems
                  In the Javadhu hills, farming is mainly done under rainfed conditions. The major dry crops are samai, thenai, ragi, paddy, groundnut. Few other crops like sugarcane, vegetable, and groundnut are cultivated by well irrigation. In Yelagiri hills, major rainfed crops are samai thenai, mango, citrus and vegetables are grown. Minor forest produces like wood apple, avaram, soapnut, nellikkai, surul bark etc, and obtained.
                  The main cropping systems are as follows:
Javadhu hills: Jamunamarathur
Double crops
1. Paddy - June – July + paddy - December - January
2. Paddy - June – July + groundnut / ragi - December - January

Rainfed
1. Samai-June – July - ragi- December - January+ pulses
2. Samai-June - July+ niger horsegram-December – January
3. Vegetables- June - July+ vegetables (pumpkin)- December - January
Yelagir hills

Double crops
1. Paddy -June – July + paddy-December - January
2. Paddy-June – July + groundnut-December - January

Rainfed
1. Samai -June –July -ragi + pulses - December - January
2. Samai + Niger-June – July + horsegram-December - January
3. Vegetables-June - July+ vegetables-December - January
9. Tirunelveli district

Pothigai hills
                  Pothigai hills are situated in Tirunelvelli District. The altitude of Pothigai hills is 6132 ft. The Climate in this hill sub - zone is equitable. Minimum temperature is 140C during January and the maximum is 340C during May. The humidity is 65-80% during October November and below 60% during January - March.         This hill receives rains both the monsoons. The average rainfall in the hills is around 1400 - 2000 mm. Around 65% of the rainfall is receive during North East monsoon.
                  In Shengottai, deep red soils, in patches on hill slopes and mountains are formed. In Ambasamudram sandy loam to loam in texture due to alluvium deposits are found which are acidic in reaction.

Major crops / cropping pattern / cropping system
                  Perennial plantation crops like coffee, cardamom and tea occupy major areas in this zone. Paddy vegetables, fruit crops are also grown in the hill slopes and near the plains. Tea is the major crop in Jamin Singampatty and Vikramasingapuram areas.  

10. Theni district

Megamalai
                  Megamalai hills are situated in Theni District. The elevation of the hill range from 290 to 1980 m above MSL. This zone is sub tropical with cool climate during winter months, the temperature going down to 60 C during December - January. The maximum temperature goes upto 320 C during April. The average humidity is from 40 to 100%. The mean annual rainfall in Megamalai hills is 745.91mm of which 64.00 percent is received during Northeast monsoon.
                  The soil texture in Megamalai hill region is loamy with 20 to 120 cm. depth.

Major crops and cropping pattern / systems
                  The major crops grown in this region are perennial in nature. They are tea, coffee, spices, citrus, banana and vegetables. Medicinal and aromatic plants are also grown in smaller area in Megamalai village.