UPSC Prelims 2010 Q146: Indian Economy – Agriculture & Rural Development
In India, during the last decade the total cultivated land
for which one of the following crops has remained more or less stagnant ?
- (a) Rice
- (b) Oilseeds
- (c) Pulses
- (d) Sugarcane
Answer: (c) Pulses
Explanation
Which crop's cultivated area remained stagnant in the last decade
Among major Indian crops, one has shown notably little growth in cultivated area over time.
| Option | Verdict | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| (a) Rice | Incorrect | Rice's cultivated area has seen relatively more change/expansion dynamics compared to pulses |
| (b) Oilseeds | Incorrect | Oilseeds' cultivated area has shown more fluctuation, including periods of expansion, over the decade |
| (c) Pulses | Correct | Pulses cultivation area has remained largely stagnant over the last decade, due to limited yield-improving adoption and competition from more remunerative crops |
| (d) Sugarcane | Incorrect | Sugarcane's area has shown more variability, driven by price and water-availability factors |
Pulses cultivation trend:
| Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Area trend | Largely stagnant over the decade |
| Why | Limited yield-enhancing technology adoption, competition from more profitable crops |
| Consequence | India's continued reliance on pulses imports |
Answer: (c) Pulses.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Rice's cultivated area dynamics differ from the specifically stagnant pulses trend.
- (b) Incorrect. Oilseeds' area has shown more fluctuation over the decade.
- (c) CORRECT. Pulses' cultivated area has remained largely stagnant over the last decade.
- (d) Incorrect. Sugarcane's area has shown more variability, driven by price/water factors.
Key point
Among rice, oilseeds, pulses, and sugarcane, PULSES' cultivated land area has remained the most stagnant over the last decade, reflecting limited yield-technology adoption.
Remember
Pulses: the crop whose total cultivated land area has remained more or less stagnant in India over the last decade.
Common mistakes
- Assuming all food-grain crops show similar area-growth trends, missing pulses' specific stagnation.
- Confusing yield growth (which can rise even with stagnant area) with cultivated area trends specifically.
- Not connecting pulses' area stagnation to India's continued import dependence for pulses.
Exam tip
Pulses' cultivated area has been notably stagnant in India for years — a key reason behind continued pulses import dependence.
Sources
- Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India — Agricultural Statistics at a Glance 2009 (area under principal crops)
- Ministry of Finance, Government of India — Economic Survey 2009–10 (Agriculture and Food Management)