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UPSC Prelims 2020 · Agriculture · Crops and Where They Grow
With reference to pulse production in India, consider the following sentences: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- Black gram (Urad) can be cultivated as both Kharif and rabi crop.
- Green gram (Moong) alone accounts for nearly half of pulse production.
- In the last three decades, while the production of kharif pulses has increased, the production of rabi pulses has decreased.
- (a) 1 only
- (b) 2 and 3 only
- (c) 2 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: (a) 1 only
Only the urad statement is right.
Statement by statement
1. ✓ CORRECT Urad (black gram) is sown in both kharif and rabi seasons.
2. ✗ WRONG Gram (chana) is the biggest pulse — about half of production. Moong is far smaller.
3. ✗ WRONG Rabi pulses (mainly chana) have grown strongly, not fallen.
Why the others are wrong
(b) Confuses moong with gram and reverses the rabi trend.
(c) Makes moong the leading pulse — that is chana.
(d) Accepts both errors.
The trap
Statement 2 swaps gram (chana) with green gram (moong).
🔒 Pulses: chana ~45–50%, tur, urad, moong. Rabi pulses dominate output.
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