Q7 · UPPSC PCS Mains 2021 · GS III · 8 marks · ~125 words in the hall · 1 min read

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‘Uttar Pradesh has a prominent position in the production of food crops in the country.’ Evaluate the statement.

Topic: Agriculture, irrigation and marketing. Syllabus: Major Crops, different types of irrigation and irrigation systems, storage, transport and marketing of agricultural produce. Issues in Agriculture, Horticulture, Forestry and Animal Husbandry. Same official PYQ from year-wise 2021 and Agriculture, irrigation and marketing.

Revision summary

UP is usually among India’s top foodgrain producers and leads in sugarcane and potato. The doab and canal commands explain the area advantage. NFSM, PM-KISAN, PMFBY, Saryu Nahar, and Bundelkhand irrigation support the volume. Eastern and Bundelkhand yields, groundwater, and rice–wheat fatigue qualify the rank. Prominent in tonnes, mixed in productivity and farmer realisation.

Model answer

Introduction

Uttar Pradesh is repeatedly among India’s largest foodgrain producers and leads in sugarcane and potato. An evaluation must grant that volume and then test productivity, eastern-western gaps, and climate risk.

Body

The claim that holds

  • The State is usually first or second in wheat and total foodgrains, first in sugarcane and potato, and a large rice producer in the eastern belt.
  • The Ganga–Yamuna doab, canal commands, and the Tarai give a natural food-crop base that few States match in area.
  • National Food Security Mission, PM-KISAN, PM Fasal Bima Yojana, and State irrigation pushes such as Saryu Nahar and the Bundelkhand package support that volume.

Limits of the claim

  • Yields in eastern UP and Bundelkhand lag western Meerut–Saharanpur belts; fragmentation and groundwater stress cut the ‘prominent’ story.
  • Rice–wheat repetition, residue burning, and flood–drought swings show that rank in tonnes is not the same as sustainable food security.
  • Mandi realisation and milling quality still leak farmer income even when the State tops the chart.

Flow diagram

flowchart TD
  U[Uttar Pradesh] --> V[Wheat cane potato foodgrain rank]
  V --> M[NFSM PM-KISAN PMFBY irrigation]
  V --> G[East Bundelkhand yield gap]
  M --> E[Evaluate prominent]
  G --> E

Conclusion

  • The statement is true on volume: UP is a national leader in wheat, cane, potato, and foodgrains. Evaluation adds that NFSM and irrigation hold the rank, while yield gaps and climate stress qualify how prominent the position really is.

Quick related

Students also ask

  • Explain different types and functions of disaster management.

    Next question in the 2021 paper (Q8). View answer →

  • Is UP first in every food crop?

    No. It leads or nearly leads in wheat, cane, and potato. Rice leadership is shared with other States.

  • Does top rank mean farmers are secure?

    Volume rank is not the same as yield, MSP realisation, or climate safety.

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