Grow two crops together in fixed row ratios on the same land — usually a cereal or cotton with a legume — so you draw two harvests, two income streams and better light and nutrient use from one field.
The quick decision panel — everything you need before reading a single paragraph further.
What actually changes on your farm once this is in place.
Two complementary crops on the same land typically add 20–40% more combined output per acre.
A price crash or crop failure in one crop is cushioned by the second crop's harvest.
A tall and a short crop, or a deep and shallow rooter, share light and soil depth instead of competing for the same layer.
Land preparation, irrigation infrastructure and often labour are shared across two crops instead of two separate fields.
A legume component fixes nitrogen the companion crop draws on directly.
More total output from the same land, water and input base without expanding the cultivated area.
The practice broken into the steps you will actually follow, in order.
Pick crops with different heights, root depths or durations — arhar and soybean, cotton and moong.
A common pattern is 2 rows of the main crop to 1 row of the companion — the exact ratio depends on the pair.
Sow both together if durations match, or offset by a few days if one crop establishes faster.
Fertiliser and pest management need to suit both crops, not just the main one.
The shorter-duration crop is usually harvested first, leaving the main crop standing.
An honest read before you spend a rupee or an hour on it.
This technique against conventional practice, head to head, per acre.
Seed (both crops)
Land preparation
Fertiliser
Conventional total
₹12,000/ha (single crop)
This technique, total
₹13,500/ha (two crops)
Input cost rises modestly for the second crop, but combined revenue from two harvests typically runs 20–40% ahead of a single-crop field on the same land.
What farmers already using this technique typically measure.
+20–40% per acre
Combined Output
2 harvests, 2 markets
Income Streams
From the legume component
Nitrogen Contribution
One crop buffers a price crash in the other
Risk Cushion
Where this technique earns its keep the fastest.
Where this is already common field practice, not a pilot.
Commonly practised here
What goes wrong most often, and the fix, before it costs you a season.
Where this technique sits in the crop cycle, start to harvest.
Standard preparation for the field, planned for two crops from the start.
Both crops go in together (or staggered by a few days) in the planned row ratio.
This technique matters most here
Both crops are managed together here — this is where the row-ratio decision either pays off or does not.
The companion crop typically flowers and matures well before the main crop.
The companion crop is harvested first, then the main crop, giving two separate harvest events.
The field issues that come up most, and how to stay ahead of them.
The numbers that decide whether this pays for itself, and how soon.
Initial Investment
₹800–₹1,500/ha extra seed cost for the companion crop
Additional Income
20–40% more combined revenue per acre
Estimated Savings
Shared land preparation and irrigation infrastructure cost
ROI
30–60% over a single-crop field on the same land
Payback Period
Same season
The schemes that fund the machinery and inputs behind this technique.
Run the real numbers on your own field with these calculators.
Work out the seed quantity for both crops at your chosen row ratio.
Read guideCompare combined intercrop revenue against a single-crop field on the same land.
Read guideBudget a dose that covers both crops, not just the main one.
Read guideIntercropping vs a single-crop field, side by side.
Read guideLong-form reading that goes deeper on this technique and what sits beside it.
Intercropping grows two crops together on the same land in a planned row ratio, at the same time — commonly a cereal or cotton with a legume companion — instead of one crop occupying the whole field.
Combined output from two complementary crops typically runs 20–40% ahead of what a single crop would yield on the same land, though each individual crop's yield is usually somewhat lower than it would be grown alone.
Arhar with soybean, cotton with moong or urad, and sugarcane with a short-duration legume are among the most common pairs, chosen because they differ in height, root depth or duration.
It depends on the specific crop pair — a common pattern is 2 rows of the main crop to 1 row of the companion, but your nearest Krishi Vigyan Kendra can confirm the ratio proven for your soil and crops.
No — standard sowing tools handle it, since it is mainly a planning and spacing decision, not a mechanised process.
No. Intercropping sows two crops in a planned, fixed row ratio for separate management and harvest. Mixed cropping scatters several crop seeds together without row structure, mainly as insurance against total crop failure.
Often yes — a mixed crop stand is a less uniform target for a pest specific to one crop, and some companion crops (like legumes) attract beneficial insects that help both crops.
Budget a dose that covers both crops rather than only the main one — the companion crop, even in fewer rows, still draws nutrients and underperforms badly if it is left out of the fertiliser plan.
The FAQs above cover the common questions. For a choice tuned to your exact soil, crop and holding size, your nearest Krishi Vigyan Kendra is the authoritative next step.
