Cabbage Farming in India: Varieties, Production & Cultivation Process

Table of Contents

• An Overview of Cabbage Crop
• Which are the Popular Cabbage Varieties in India?
• What is the Cultivation Process of Cabbage in India?
  • Climate and Soil Requirements
  • Nursery Preparation
  • Land Preparation and Plantation
  • Manure and Fertilizer Applications
  • Irrigation
  • Intercultural Operations
  • Harvesting and Yield
• Which are the Top Cabbage Producing States in India?

An Overview of Cabbage Crop

Cabbage originated from a wild non-heading type, ‘Cole wart.’ The genus Brassica consists of around 100 species, of which the majority are native to the Mediterranean region. It is attributed to the Mediterranean centre of origin. It is believed that the real-headed cabbage evolved in Germany. Cabbage is one of the oldest vegetables grown in the world. It needs cool, moist weather to produce the best quality heads.

Cabbage is a small leafy biennial featuring a compact globular mass of smooth or crincles leaves wrapped over each other forming the head. Its outer leaves are generally larger than the inner leaves, and the stem is short and stout. Its plants generally flower after the winter season.

Which are the Popular Cabbage Varieties in India?

The popular cabbage varieties in India are September, Pusa Drum Head, Golden Acre, Kaveri, Ganga, Sri Ganesh, and Pride of India. The classification of cabbage is done according to its harvesting time. It includes early-season varieties, mid-season varieties, and late-season varieties. The popular cabbage varieties in India, according to the season types, are:

• Early-season Varieties: They include Golden Acre and Pride of India.
• Mid-season Varieties: It includes popular varieties, such as Pusa Ageti.
• Late-season Varieties: The example of late-season varieties of cabbage is Pusa Drum Head.

What is the Cultivation Process of Cabbage in India?

Cabbage cultivation process involves several steps, such as Climate and soil requirements, nursery preparation, land preparation and planting, manure and fertilizer applications, irrigation, intercultural operations, and harvesting and yield. Let’s discuss each of them one by one:

Climate and Soil Requirements

Cabbage is cultivated in a cool, moist climate and grown as a winter crop in plains. It grows well in sandy loam to clay soil. It requires a soil pH of 5.5 to 6.5 for better production.

Nursery Preparation

The cabbage seeds are sown in a seedbed, and 4 to 6 weeks old cabbage seedlings are transplanted to the field. Seeds are treated in hot water at 50°C for 30 minutes, and 25 grams of Azospirillum are required to treat 250 grams of Cabbage seeds.

The sowing time depends on the variety of cabbage and the agro-climatic conditions prevailing in a specific region. The early-season cabbage varieties are sown during July to November in plains and April to August in hilly regions, as they need a longer time for their head formation.

Land Preparation and Plantation

The soil is ploughed four to five times using a plough, ensuring a sufficient gap between two ploughs to bring the soil to a fine tilth. In hilly regions, pits should be taken up at 40 cm spacing either way, and in plain regions, ridges and furrows are developed at 45 cm apart.

The spacing of cabbage plants varies depending on planting season, variety, and soil conditions. Cabbage planting distance in hilly areas is 40 X 40 cm, while in plains it is 45 X 30 cm. In case of hybrid varieties, the spacing should be 60 X 45 X 45 cm in a paired row system.

Seedlings that are 30 – 40 days old are used for planting. Irrigation is withheld for 4 – 6 days after planting for hardening of seedlings.

Manure and Fertilizer Applications

Manure and fertilizer doses depend on the soil fertility and the amount of organic matter applied to the plants. In hilly regions, 30 t/ha FYM, 90 kg N, 90 kg P and 90 kg K are applied as basal and 45:45:45 kg NPK/ha is applied 30 – 45 days after planting. In plains, 20 t/ha of FYM, 50 kg N, 125 kg P and 25 kg K/ha, along with 2 kg Azospirillum, is applied as basal and 50 kg N is applied after 30 days of plantation.

Irrigation

First irrigation should be provided right after the transplantation of seedlings, and subsequent irrigation is provided at 10 – 15 days intervals, depending on the soil conditions and season. Proper care should be taken to avoid water stress from the head formation time to the maturity period. During head maturity, irrigation should be avoided as excessive irrigation during this period can result in splitting of heads.

Intercultural operations

The cabbage crops must be kept weed-free using 2 to 3 hand weedings and 1 to 2 hoeings. The weed population can be controlled through pre-emergence application of Fluchloralin or Nitrofen, followed by a hand weeding 60 days after transplanting of seedlings. If required, earthing up is also done 30 days after transplanting, and at that time, crops are supported with soil to avoid toppling during head formation.

Harvesting and Yield

Cabbage crop harvesting is done after 90 – 120 days of plantation. Thus, the cabbage crop duration is around 3 to 4 months. They are harvested promptly when their heads are firm and mature. If the harvest is delayed, even a few days after maturity, it can cause split heads and an enhanced incidence of field disease.

The harvesting of heads is done by bending it to one side and cutting it with a knife. The stalk should be cut flat and close to the head. However, the stalk should be left long enough to retain two to four wrapper leaves. All the heads may not be ready for harvest at the same time; thus, cabbage harvesting is done in stages depending on the maturity of heads. After harvesting, cabbage should be stored in the shade before packing.

The yield varies depending on variety, maturity group, and cultivation season. The average cabbage yield per hectare of early varieties is around 25-30 t/ha, and that of late varieties is around 40-60 t/ha.

Which are the Top Cabbage Producing States in India?

As per the data published in Agriexchange (APEDA), the cabbage production in India in 2023-24 was around 10,431.71 thousand tons. The top five cabbage producing states in India are West Bengal, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Assam. The state-wise production is provided in the table below: