60. For FCI, economic cost of foodgrains equals MSP and any bonus plus which additional costs?
[UPSC CSE Prelims 2019]
A. Transport only
B. Interest only
C. Procurement incidentals and distribution cost
D. Godown rent only
Answer: C. Procurement incidentals and distribution cost
Explanation: Procurement cost includes more than the amount transferred to farmers. Handling, statutory charges, movement and distribution create further costs. These additional expenditures are integral to measuring the food corporation’s economic cost.
59. Consider kharif cropping area in India:
1. Rice occupied the largest area;
2. Jowar area exceeded all oilseeds;
3. Cotton area exceeded sugarcane;
4. Sugarcane area steadily declined.
Which are correct?
[UPSC CSE Prelims 2019]
A. 1 and 3 only
B. 2, 3 and 4 only
C. 2 and 4 only
D. All four
Answer: A. 1 and 3 only
Explanation: Rice occupies extensive kharif acreage, and cotton generally covers much more area than sugarcane. Jowar does not exceed total oilseeds acreage, while sugarcane area has not followed a steady uninterrupted decline.
58. Which are major trends in Indian farming:
1. Commercialisation;
2. Diversification;
3. Universal corporatisation?
[RPSC Senior Teacher 2019]
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 1 and 3 only
C. 2 and 3 only
D. All three
Answer: A. 1 and 2 only
Explanation: Greater market orientation and diversification into higher-value crops or allied enterprises are visible trends. Corporate organisation exists in some segments but cannot be described as universal corporatisation across Indian farming.
57. Among the following, which approach constitutes conservation agriculture:
1. Avoiding all monoculture;
2. Minimum tillage;
3. Avoiding plantation crops;
4. Residue cover;
5. Crop rotation?
[UPSC CSE Prelims 2018]
A. 1, 3 and 4
B. 2, 3, 4 and 5
C. 2, 4 and 5
D. 1, 2, 3 and 5
Answer: C. 2, 4 and 5
Explanation: Conservation agriculture rests on reduced soil disturbance, surface crop cover and crop rotation or diversification. It does not universally prohibit a particular commercial crop category, so statements two, four and five identify its core principles.
56. Which crops among areca nut, barley, coffee, finger millet, groundnut, sesamum and turmeric have officially announced MSP?
[UPSC CSE Prelims 2018]
A. Areca, barley, coffee, turmeric
B. Barley, finger millet, groundnut, sesamum
C. Areca, coffee, finger millet, groundnut, sesamum
D. All seven
Answer: B. Barley, finger millet, groundnut, sesamum
Explanation: MSP is announced for a defined crop list including barley, ragi, groundnut and sesamum. Coffee, areca nut and turmeric are not part of the announced MSP basket.
55. Under NPOP organic certification, which statements are correct:
1. It is administered by Rural Development Ministry;
2. APEDA acts as implementation secretariat;
3. Sikkim became the first fully organic state?
[UPSC CSE Prelims 2018]
A. 1 only
B. 2 and 3 only
C. 1 and 3 only
D. All three
Answer: B. 2 and 3 only
Explanation: APEDA helps administer the National Programme for Organic Production under the commerce framework, not the Rural Development Ministry. Sikkim is recognised as India’s first fully organic state, making statements two and three correct.
54. Which are correct about edible-oil imports:
1. Imported edible oil quantities exceeded domestic production in the relevant period;
2. No customs duty was charged on any imported edible oil?
[UPSC CSE Prelims 2018]
A. 1 only
B. 2 only
C. Both
D. Neither
Answer: A. 1 only
Explanation: India depended substantially on imports of edible oils. The assertion that every imported edible oil was universally duty-free is incorrect because customs duties are a policy instrument for this market.
53. Which agricultural-household survey statements are correct:
1. Rajasthan had the highest rural share of agricultural households;
2. More than 60% of all were OBC households;
3. Over 60% in Kerala earned most income outside agriculture?
[UPSC CSE Prelims 2018]
A. 2 and 3 only
B. 2 only
C. 1 and 3 only
D. All three
Answer: C. 1 and 3 only
Explanation: The NSS situation assessment results supported the Rajasthan and Kerala observations. The claimed OBC proportion did not match the relevant data. Farm households often combine agricultural earnings with other livelihood sources.
52. India’s Green Revolution spread through district-level implementation of which schemes?
[WBCS Prelims 2018]
A. Intensive Agricultural District Programme only
B. Intensive Agricultural Area Programme only
C. Both IADP and IAAP
D. Neither programme
Answer: C. Both IADP and IAAP
Explanation: The Intensive Agricultural District Programme and Intensive Agricultural Area Programme were important area-focused approaches in the pre-Green-Revolution and Green Revolution period. They helped concentrate research, credit, modern inputs and extension where quick yield improvements were feasible.
51. Which genetically modified mustard statement was correct:
1. Genes give general pest resistance;
2. Genes enable hybridisation;
3. It was jointly developed by IARI and Punjab Agricultural University?
[UPSC CSE Prelims 2018]
A. 1 and 3 only
B. 2 only
C. 2 and 3 only
D. All three
Answer: B. 2 only
Explanation: The barnase-barstar system used in GM mustard is principally designed to facilitate hybrid seed production. It was not developed as a general insect-resistance trait, and the claimed institutional pairing was incorrect.
