Agriculture in Vellore District: East Coast Plains and Hills
Tamil Nadu falls mainly in the East Coast Plains and Hills agro-climatic zone (hot humid, 780-1300mm of rain a year across the zone), where deltaic rice bowls (Kaveri, Godavari, Mahanadi) with coconut and chilli is typical. Soils in this zone are mostly alluvial coastal and red loam soil. Crops commonly grown across the zone include Rice (Paddy), Sugarcane, Groundnut, Coconut, chilli, oilseeds.
These are zone-level facts (ICAR / Planning Commission agro-climatic classification), not a crop census of Vellore itself. What actually trades in Vellore's own mandis is listed below. Vellore's own month-by-month rainfall and temperatures are in the climate section.
Crop Calendar for the East Coast Plains and Hills
| Crop | Season & Window | All-India rate (3 October 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| 🍚 Rice (Paddy) | Kharif (Sow: Jun-Jul, Harvest: Oct-Nov) | ₹3,680/qtl |
| 🎋 Sugarcane | Plant: Feb-Mar (spring) or Oct-Nov (autumn), Harvest: 10-12 months | ₹350/qtl |
| 🥜 Groundnut | Kharif (Sow: Jun-Jul, Harvest: Oct-Nov) | ₹6,913/qtl |
| 🥥 Coconut | Year-round perennial (peak: Nov-Jan) | ₹5,550/qtl |
| chilli | Local seasonal crop | - |
| oilseeds | Local seasonal crop | - |
Soil, Water & Irrigation
Drip and sprinkler subsidies (45-90%) and a solar pump cut water and power costs. Because soils vary field to field inside a zone, a free soil health card is the only reliable guide to what your own plot needs.
Mandi Prices in Vellore
These are the crops actually trading in Vellore's markets (Arkonam APMC, Perampet(Uzhavar Sandhai), Katpadi (Uzhavar Sandhai ), Pallikonda(Uzhavar Sandhai) and 4 more), with the modal price per quintal reported on 1 June 2026:
| Commodity | Min | Max | Modal Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raddish | ₹2,400 | ₹3,500 | ₹2,914 |
| Drumstick | ₹2,500 | ₹5,000 | ₹3,843 |
| Bhindi(Ladies Finger) | ₹1,800 | ₹3,000 | ₹2,508 |
| Garlic | ₹13,000 | ₹17,000 | ₹14,917 |
| Beans | ₹4,000 | ₹7,000 | ₹5,833 |
| Banana - Green | ₹2,500 | ₹3,500 | ₹2,950 |
| Coconut | ₹2,000 | ₹4,000 | ₹3,250 |
| Guava | ₹3,500 | ₹5,000 | ₹4,600 |
| Bottle gourd | ₹1,800 | ₹2,500 | ₹2,110 |
| Mango(Raw-Ripe) | ₹1,000 | ₹2,000 | ₹1,650 |
Source: Agmarknet daily arrivals for Vellore, Tamil Nadu, as of 1 June 2026.
What Vellore Actually Grows: Official Crop Statistics
In 2024-25, Vellore's largest crops by area were Groundnut, Rice (Paddy), Arhar (Tur/Pigeon Pea). Groundnut alone covered 14,687 ha (39% of the area under the crops listed below), with a yield of 2,191 kg/ha, 4% below the Tamil Nadu average. The biggest shifts since 2019-20: Rice (Paddy) area -77%, Sugarcane area -66%.
| Crop | Area (ha) | Production (tonnes) | Yield (kg/ha) | Tamil Nadu avg yield | Area change since 2019-20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Groundnut | 14,687 | 32,180 | 2,191 | 2,294 | -59% |
| Rice (Paddy) | 10,360 | 33,676 | 3,251 | 3,305 | -77% |
| Arhar (Tur/Pigeon Pea) | 4,727 | 3,125 | 661 | 677 | -52% |
| Jowar (Sorghum) | 2,947 | 4,959 | 1,683 | 1,211 | -55% |
| Urad (Black Gram) | 2,430 | 1,582 | 651 | 470 | -47% |
| Sugarcane | 1,160 | 1,04,631 | 90,197 | 1,02,001 | -66% |
| Moong (Green Gram) | 661 | 276 | 418 | 431 | -73% |
| Maize (Corn) | 393 | 2,203 | 5,602 | 5,489 | -79% |
| Bajra (Pearl Millet) | 215 | 649 | 3,025 | 2,652 | -83% |
| Ragi (Finger Millet) | 79 | 296 | 3,765 | 3,765 | -99% |
Source: Directorate of Economics & Statistics, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Govt of India (final estimates), via UPAg. Field crops only - vegetables, fruit and spices are counted separately. Tamil Nadu average = sum of the state's district estimates.
Climate & Sowing Windows in Vellore
Vellore receives about 885 mm of rain in an average year, 49% of it in June-September. The wettest month is October (153 mm). Days are hottest in April (average high 37°C) and nights coolest in January (average low 15°C).
- Rain typically first crosses 100 mm a month in July, the usual cue for kharif sowing here.
| Month | Rain (mm) | Avg high | Avg low |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 5 | 28° | 15° |
| February | 5 | 32° | 16° |
| March | 16 | 36° | 19° |
| April | 48 | 37° | 22° |
| May | 93 | 35° | 24° |
| June | 74 | 32° | 22° |
| July | 101 | 31° | 21° |
| August | 116 | 31° | 21° |
| September | 147 | 30° | 21° |
| October | 153 | 29° | 20° |
| November | 95 | 27° | 18° |
| December | 32 | 27° | 16° |
Source: NASA POWER long-term monthly averages (satellite and model based, so they can understate rain on coasts and hills) for the centre of Vellore district (12.9022, 79.0611). These are normals, not a forecast for any one year; for this week see the farm weather forecast.
For Vellore Farmers: Solar Pumps & Tractors
Districts Near Vellore
Before you sell, compare mandis in neighbouring districts too (straight-line distance between district centres):
- Ranipet - 38 km
- Tiruvannamalai - 53 km
- Tirupathur - 58 km
- Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh - 79 km
- Kancheepuram - 81 km
- Kolar, Karnataka - 91 km
Land records and Farmer ID in Tamil Nadu
Government Schemes for Vellore Farmers
Farmers in Vellore are eligible for PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, Kisan Credit Card, Soil Health Card Scheme, PM Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, eNAM - National Agriculture Market and more. For Vellore's rice growers, crop insurance, KCC and irrigation subsidies are the priority. Apply at the Vellore district agriculture office, a CSC, or online via the Subsidy Finder.