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UPSC Prelims 2021 · Agriculture · Crops and Where They Grow
Among the following, which one is the least water-efficient crop?
- (a) Sugarcane
- (b) Sunflower
- (c) Pearl millet
- (d) Red gram
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: (a) Sugarcane
Sugarcane needs roughly 1,500–2,500 mm of water over its 10–18 month season — about 2,000 litres or more per kg of sugar.
The idea
Water per unit of crop: sugarcane and paddy are the thirstiest; millets and pulses the most frugal. That’s why millet and pulse missions push them in water-stressed areas.
Millets, pulses → oilseeds → wheat → paddy → sugarcane
Why the others are wrong
(b) Sunflower is a short, fairly drought-tolerant oilseed.
(c) Pearl millet (bajra) is the classic dryland crop.
(d) Red gram (arhar) is a deep-rooted, drought-hardy pulse.
The trap
Paddy is the famous “water guzzler”, but it isn’t an option. Among these four, sugarcane is far ahead.
🔒 Thirstiest: sugarcane, paddy. Most water-wise: millets (bajra, jowar, ragi), pulses.
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