Agricultural Policies & Supply Chains

Statement 1 is correct. Like most of the pulses in India, Black gram pulse too can be cultivated both in kharif as well as in rabi season in India. Statement 2 is incorrect. Chickpea pulse, also known as Chana, is the most dominant pulse produced in India. It contributes around 40% of the total pulse production in India. Statement 3 is incorrect. Both kharif and rabi pulse production have generally shown an increasing trend over the last three decades, largely due to government initiatives and technological advancements. Rabi pulses, which make up a larger share of the total production (more than 60%), have shown a substantial increase. Hence, option A is the correct answer.

Statement 1 is correct: The bud chip method involves raising sugarcane settlings in a nursery before transplanting them into the main field. This method reduces seed material requirements by using only the bud instead of the entire sett, leading to cost savings and better efficiency. Statement 2 is incorrect: Multi-budded setts generally have a higher germination percentage than single-budded setts. Single-budded setts may face more difficulty in germination compared to setts with multiple buds, which provide better shoot emergence. Statement 3 is incorrect: Under adverse weather conditions, large setts have better survival rates because they store more nutrients and moisture. Single-budded setts are more vulnerable to unfavorable conditions and may have lower survival rates. Statement 4 is correct: Tissue culture techniques are successfully used for sugarcane cultivation. Settlings prepared from tissue culture help in producing disease-free, high-yielding plants and allow rapid multiplication of quality planting material. Hence, option C is the correct answer.

Indigo, also known as "Blue Gold", was a highly profitable commodity in the European market during the 19th century. However, by the beginning of the 20th century, its cultivation in India declined significantly. The main reason for the decline in indigo cultivation was its unprofitability in the world market due to new inventions. Synthetic dyes were invented in the late 19th century, which were cheaper and easier to produce than natural indigo. This led to a drop in the demand for natural indigo, making its cultivation unprofitable. Therefore, the correct answer is B.

Land reform is a broad term: - It refers to an institutional measure directed towards altering the existing pattern of ownership, tenancy, and management of land. - It entails redistribution of the rights of ownership and/or use of land away from large landowners and in favour of cultivators with very limited or no landholdings. - At the time of independence, ownership of land was concentrated in the hands of a few. This led to the exploitation of the farmers and was a major hindrance towards the socio-economic development of the rural population. - Equal distribution of land was therefore an area of focus of Independent India's government. Laws for land ceilings were enacted in various states during the 50s & 60s, which were modified on the directives of the central government in 1972.

* The country's vegetable oil imports for the first six months of the oil year during November 2018 to April 2019 stood at 75,41,689 tonne, up about 3% from 73,18,295 tonne reported in the same period last year. * Vegetable oils account for the highest import in terms of value in the last five years. India relies on imports for 70 percent of its edible oil consumption.

The correct answer is (C) procurement incidentals and distribution cost. Here's a breakdown of the economic cost of food grains to the Food Corporation of India (FCI): Minimum Support Price (MSP) and bonus (if any): This is the price paid by the FCI to farmers to procure food grains at a pre-determined level. It serves as a safety net for farmers and ensures some income stability. Procurement incidentals: These are the additional costs incurred by the FCI during the procurement process. They include expenses like - Commission to agents or societies involved in procurement - Bagging materials - Labor charges for procurement activities - Transportation from collection centers to storage depots Distribution cost: This refers to the expenses incurred by the FCI to distribute the procured food grains. It includes - Transportation costs from storage depots to fair price shops or other distribution channels - Handling and storage charges at fair price shops - Losses during storage and transportation

India overtook Thailand as the world's largest riceexporter in 2015, since then India is held its position while China is the largest producer of rice. Below are the few countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of rice in 2018.
1) India US$7.4 billion (30.1% of total rice exports)
2) Thailand $5.6 billion (22.7%)
3) Vietnam $2.2 billion (9%)

All three statements (1, 2, and 3) are correct. Statement 1 is correct: Agricultural soils are a major source of nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions, primarily nitrous oxide (NO). This occurs during microbial processes in the soil, such as nitrification and denitrification. Statement 2 is correct: Cattle release significant amounts of ammonia (NH) into the atmosphere through their urine and manure. This ammonia contributes to air pollution and can have negative environmental consequences. Statement 3 is correct: The poultry industry releases various reactive nitrogen compounds into the environment, including ammonia, nitrous oxide, and nitrogen oxides. These emissions come from poultry manure and the use of nitrogen-based fertilizers in feed production.

In India, the use of carbofuran, methyl parathion, phorate and triazophos is viewed with apprehension because they are all pesticides used in agriculture. These pesticides are considered hazardous due to their potential negative impacts on human health and the environment.

Statement 1 is correct - Area under rice cultivation is highest among the Kharif crops; for example, it was 441.10 (Lakh Hectare) in 2014-15, 433.88 (Lakh Hectare) in 2015-16, etc. Statement 2 is incorrect - Area under the cultivation of jowar is less than that of oilseeds. Statement 3 is correct - Area of cotton cultivation is more than double that of sugarcane. Statement 4 is incorrect - Area under sugarcane cultivation is fluctuating; it has not steadily decreased.