The Hidden Season: Why Zaid Farming in India is Hanging by a Thread in 2025
— Observations from field visits to Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra, April–May 2025. #ZaidFarming #IndianAgriculture #Heatwave2025 #FarmCrisis #ClimateResilience #KisanDilemma zaid farming challenges india 2025
When we talk about Indian agriculture, the narrative is almost always binary: the anxiety of Kharif (monsoon) and the optimism of Rabi (winter). Sandwiched in between lies the (April–June)—a short, intense summer cropping window. Traditionally seen as a “gap-filler,” Zaid is evolving into a critical economic lifeline for vegetables, fruits, fodder, and high-value cash crops like watermelon, muskmelon, cucumber, and even short-duration pulses. The Hidden Season: Why Zaid Farming in India