Our country has been blessed with abundant natural resources like sunlight, monsoonal rains, potential soils, perennial rivers for taking up systematic crop production. Andhra Pradesh is one of the ideal states blessed with all these natural resources for cultivation of a range of crops. As per Troll's Climatological classification Andhra Pradesh has some area (around Anantapur) of Arid Tropics with less than two humid months and the rest under semi arid region. Crop production in the Semi Arid Tropics (SAT) is determined by two major natural resources namely climate and soils, which are to be best utilized.

The prominence of any sector is gauged by its contribution to the State or National economy. The income from agriculture sector of the state is only a little over 1/3 of the states GSDP providing livelihood to about 70% of the population. This means that there is every need to focus our attention to achieve the required prosperity, well being and high quality of life for the people from the incomes generated in this sector. It is visualized that there will be a fourfold increase in agricultural GSDP from Rs.22,810 crores in 1995-96 to over Rs.90,000 crores in 2020-21 A.D.

The cropped area in Andhra Pradesh is divided into seven zones based on the agro-climatic conditions. The classification mainly concentrates on the range of rainfall received, type and topography of the soils. The districts covered by the different zones and their agro-climatic characteristics are given below:

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