Previous Year Question
Which one of the following pairs (Crop – Peculiarity) is not correctly matched?
State where rice is grown three times in a year — West Bengal
Bihar's contribution to rice production — 15.7%
State with largest area under rice production — Uttar Pradesh
Isohyets that decide western limit of rice production — 100 cm
Correct Answer: B
Detailed Solution
Pair (a) is correct. Paddy is cultivated in West Bengal in three distinct seasons—Aus, Aman and Boro. The Government of West Bengal also confirms that paddy cultivation takes place in three periods during the year.
Pair (b) is incorrect. According to Government of India data for 2022-23, Bihar produced about 7.02 million tonnes of rice against an all-India production of about 135.76 million tonnes. Thus, Bihar's share was about 5.17%, not 15.7%.
Pair (c) is correct. In 2022-23, Uttar Pradesh had about 5.90 million hectares under rice, the largest area among the major rice-producing States. West Bengal had about 5.07 million hectares.
Pair (d) is also correct. According to NCERT, the 100 cm isohyet broadly divides India into two agricultural zones—the region receiving more than 100 cm rainfall is predominantly a rice zone, while the region receiving less than 100 cm is largely a wheat zone. Therefore, the 100 cm isohyet is important in understanding the western limit of the rice belt.