Agriculture: UPSC Previous Year Questions (Indian Economy)

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct: Jowar (sorghum) is an important coarse cereal grown in India, mainly in dryland regions. According to Indian Institute of Millet Research (under ICAR) Maharashtra consistently has the largest area under Jowar (sorghum) cultivation in India due to its dryland farming practices. The crop is mostly grown in the rabi season in Maharashtra and contributes significantly to food security and fodder availability in the state.

Statement 2 is incorrect: According to the Economic Survey, in the late 1990s (when this question was framed), while Gujarat is a significant producer of groundnut, the leading position al-ternates with states like Andhra Pradesh depending on the year. Thus the statement claiming Gujarat as the largest producer is wrong.

However, According to Agricultural Statistics at a Glance 2023 released by Ministry of Agriculture, Currently, Gujarat is currently the largest producer of groundnut in India.

Statement 3 is correct: Cultivable wasteland refers to land that is suitable for cultivation but remains uncultivated due to reasons like soil degradation, water scarcity, or socio-economic factors. Rajasthan, with its vast desert and arid regions, has the largest area of cultivable wasteland in India. According to the "Agricultural Statistics of Rajasthan, 2020-21," the state reported 37.27 lakh hectares (approximately 9.21 million acres) as cultivable wasteland, accounting for 10.87% of its total reporting area.

Statement 4 is incorrect: States like Karnataka or Tamil Nadu generally show higher per-hectare yields of maize due to better irrigation and agricultural practices compared to Andhra Pradesh.

Explanation

With respect to the year 1999-2000; U.P. (115419 in tonnes) >Maharashtra (53143) >Tamilnadu (34285) > Andhra Pradesh (18508) is the correct decreasing order of the above four sugarcane producing States. The given table shows the production of Sugarcane (in tons) of given states in the years 1998-99, 1999-2000 and 2000-2001. State 1998-99 1999-2000 2000-2001 Uttar Pradesh 116483 115419 106069 Maharashtra 47151 53143 49589 Tamil Nadu 33765 34285 33188 Andhra Pradesh 16503 18508 17690 In recent times, According to the Directorate of Sugarcane Development, production of sugarcane in the following states in 2022-2023 are as follows:

State Production (in Million Tonnes) Uttar Pradesh 225.22 MT Maharashtra 123.97 MT Tamil Nadu 16.92 MT Andhra Pradesh 3.12 MT

Explanation

Option (a) is incorrect: Terminator Seed Technology does not cause poor germination in the first generation of seeds. The first-generation seeds are high-quality and viable, but the sterility issue affects future generations, not the initial germination.

Option (b) is incorrect: Terminator Seed Technology based genetically modified (GM) crops are often engineered for high productivity, pest resistance, or drought tolerance, so they are not necessarily low-yielding.

Option (c) is correct: Terminator Seed Technology refers to genetic use restriction technology (GURT), which involves genetically engineering seeds to produce sterile plants in the next generation. This ensures that farmers cannot save and re-use seeds for the next planting season, forcing them to purchase new seeds from the manufacturer every year. This is the primary reason Indian farmers are unhappy with this technology.

Option (d) is incorrect: This statement is technically correct because terminator plants do not produce viable seeds. However, since the question asks why farmers are unhappy, option (c) is a better fit because it highlights the sterility issue affecting the plants’ reproduction.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct: The concentration of investment in select locations has caused regional economic imbalances, with some states thriving while others remain underdeveloped. States like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka attract more investment due to their strong indus-trial bases, better infrastructure, and higher growth rates. This uneven distribution has led to regional disparity, where favored states experience rapid growth and development, while others such as Bihar, Jharkhand etc. lag behind with slower economic progress, limited employment, and underdeveloped infrastructure.

Statement 2 is correct: Regions with unfavorable climatic conditions struggle with lower agricultural productivity, which hampers overall development. Arid regions like Rajasthan and Gujarat, as well as hilly regions like Uttarakhand and the Northeastern states, face geographical constraints like water scarcity, soil erosion, and difficulty in agricultural mechani-zation, which limit their agricultural potential.

Statement 3 is correct: Lack of modernization in agriculture, coupled with poor infrastructure and limited industrial growth, results in lower development levels in some areas. For instance, Bihar, despite having a significant rural population, faces low agricultural productivity because of lack of modern farming techniques, poor irrigation facilities, and minimal infrastructure development. This results in lower social and economic opportunities. On the other hand, Punjab and Haryana have undergone significant agrarian transformations like green revolution practices, which has led to higher income levels and better economic prospects for their farmers.

Statement 4 is incorrect: While political instability can contribute to underdevelopment, it’s not as consistently or directly linked to regional disparities as the other factors.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct: Lack of education and knowledge about modern farming techniques can lead to lower productivity as farmers may not adopt modern farming techniques, use improved seeds, or utilize fertilizers and pesticides effectively. This results in low yields, which in turn lead to reduced in-comes for farmers, further contributing to the income disparity between rural and urban areas.

Statement 2 is correct: Primary products like agricultural commodities generally have lower prices than manufactured goods, which are produced in urban areas. This disparity in pricing contributes to the wage gap between rural and urban incomes.

Statement 3 is correct: The industrial sector in India has received more investment than agriculture, leading to better infrastructure, technological advancements, and higher wages in urban areas. This has resulted in significant income disparities, with urban incomes being about twice as high as those in rural areas. Urban regions benefit from better infrastructure and technology, driving higher productivity and wages. In contrast, rural areas face underinvestment, limiting their growth and widening the income gap.