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UPSC Prelims 2019 · Agriculture · Crops and Where They Grow
With reference to the cultivation of Kharif crops in India in the last five years, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above are correct?
- Area under rice cultivation is the highest.
- Area under the cultivation of jowar is more than that of oilseeds.
- Area of cotton cultivation is more than that of sugarcane.
- Area under sugarcane cultivation has steadily decreased.
- (a) 1 and 3 only
- (b) 2, 3 and 4 only
- (c) 2 and 4 only
- (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: (a) 1 and 3 only
Rice largest and cotton above sugarcane.
Statement by statement
1. ✓ CORRECT Rice has the largest kharif area.
2. ✗ WRONG Oilseeds (soybean, groundnut) cover far more area than jowar.
3. ✓ CORRECT Cotton covers about 12–13 million ha; sugarcane about 5 million ha.
4. ✗ WRONG Sugarcane area has fluctuated, not steadily fallen.
Why the others are wrong
(b) Accepts jowar above oilseeds and a steady sugarcane fall.
(c) Accepts two wrong statements.
(d) Accepts two wrong statements.
The trap
“Steadily” — a trend word that rarely holds for Indian crop areas.
🔒 Kharif area: rice > oilseeds (soybean) > cotton > pulses > coarse grains.
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