Q80. Identify the subtropical crop needing about 210 frost-free days, 50–100 cm rainfall and moisture-retentive, well-drained soil.
[UPSC CSE Prelims, 2020]
(A) Cotton
(B) Jute
(C) Tea
(D) Rubber
Answer: (A) Cotton
Explanation: Cotton requires a warm and largely frost-free growing season. Black regur soils of the Deccan retain moisture and support cultivation under moderate rainfall, explaining the historic importance of Maharashtra, Gujarat and the wider cotton belt.
Q79. Which crop is harvested three times a year in the Thanjavur delta?
[WBCS Main (Indian Geography), 2020]
(A) Wheat
(B) Rice
(C) Sugarcane
(D) Groundnut
Answer: (B) Rice
Explanation: The irrigated Cauvery delta supports repeated rice cultivation where dependable water supplies allow successive crops. The Thanjavur tract is therefore associated with intensive paddy agriculture and a high dependence on river-water management.
Q78. Which state was associated with production of high-quality Virginia tobacco?
[WBCS Main (Indian Geography), 2020]
(A) Tamil Nadu
(B) Andhra Pradesh
(C) Karnataka
(D) Maharashtra
Answer: (B) Andhra Pradesh
Explanation: Andhra Pradesh is a significant tobacco-growing state, including flue-cured Virginia tobacco in selected districts. Soil, climate, curing infrastructure and market networks affect the crop’s spatial distribution and economic importance.
Q77. Which three characteristics best identify shifting cultivation: manual labour, low technology and fallowing poor soils, or intensive fertilizer use?
[WBCS Main (Indian Geography), 2020]
(A) Manual labour and low technology only
(B) Manual labour, low technology and fallowing
(C) Manual labour, fallowing and chemical fertilizers
(D) All four features
Answer: (B) Manual labour, low technology and fallowing
Explanation: Shifting cultivation typically involves clearing small plots, cultivating them for a limited time and allowing fallow regeneration. Labour-intensive methods and relatively simple equipment are common. Its environmental effects depend partly on fallow duration and population pressure.
Q76. Which state is sometimes called the agricultural epitome of India?
[WBCS Main (Indian Geography), 2020]
(A) West Bengal
(B) Uttar Pradesh
(C) Punjab
(D) Haryana
Answer: (B) Uttar Pradesh
Explanation: Uttar Pradesh spans diverse agro-climatic belts and produces large quantities of cereals, sugarcane and other crops. Extensive cultivated land, populous agricultural districts and regional variation are why the state features prominently in Indian agricultural geography.
2019
Q75. Which district of Uttar Pradesh was identified as its leading orange-producing district?
[UP Basic Education Officer Preliminary Examination, 2019]
(A) Farrukhabad
(B) Lakhimpur
(C) Saharanpur
(D) Balrampur
Answer: (C) Saharanpur
Explanation: Saharanpur has historically figured prominently in orange cultivation within Uttar Pradesh. The question tested district-specific agricultural geography and horticultural specialization, rather than the overall national ranking of orange-producing states.
Q74. Malda district of West Bengal is well known for which occupation among the choices?
[WBCS Main Examination (West Bengal Geography), 2019]
(A) Sericulture
(B) Horticulture
(C) Apiculture
(D) Aquaculture
Answer: (A) Sericulture
Explanation: Sericulture is an established economic activity in Malda, linked to mulberry leaves and silk production. The question refers to the district’s historically important silk-related agricultural specialization.
Q73. What was a central objective of land reforms after Indian independence?
[UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination, 2019]
(A) Ceiling laws applied only to families, never individuals
(B) Redistribution of agricultural land to landless people
(C) Compulsory replacement of foodcrops by cash crops
(D) No exemptions under land-ceiling provisions
Answer: (B) Redistribution of agricultural land to landless people
Explanation: Land reform policies sought to reduce inequality in landholding through tenancy protection, abolition of intermediaries and ceilings with redistribution. Their central purpose included access to cultivable land for landless households, although implementation varied across states.
Q72. Which state was the largest tea producer among West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam and Karnataka?
[WBCS Main (Indian Geography), 2019]
(A) West Bengal
(B) Tamil Nadu
(C) Assam
(D) Karnataka
Answer: (C) Assam
Explanation: Assam’s Brahmaputra Valley contains one of the country’s largest tea-growing landscapes. High humidity, warm temperatures and abundant rainfall are favorable for tea plantations; the region’s long plantation history also shaped its economic geography.
Q71. Which crop is Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh particularly known for?
[WBCS Main (Indian Geography), 2019]
(A) Millet
(B) Cotton
(C) Tobacco
(D) Sugarcane
Answer: (D) Sugarcane
Explanation: Muzaffarnagar is part of western Uttar Pradesh’s important sugarcane belt. Fertile plains, canal and groundwater irrigation, mills and nearby market towns support a dense network of sugarcane cultivation and processing.
