Question

Arrange the States based on their contribution (highest to lowest) in total food grains production of India in the year 2020-21.
(A). Punjab
(B). Uttar Pradesh
(C). Rajasthan
(D). Madhya Pradesh
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

• A. (A), (B), (C), (D).
• B. (D), (C), (A), (B).
• C. (B), (A), (D), (C).
• D. (B), (D), (A), (C).

Hint:

Uttar Pradesh (B) is always the highest producer of total food grains in India.
Knowing this immediately places (B) first.
In recent years, Madhya Pradesh (D) has consistently surpassed Punjab (A) in total volume of production due to its larger cultivated area.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Tracking the state-wise contribution to the national food basket is a core component of agricultural statistics.
Total food grain production includes cereals (rice, wheat, coarse cereals) and pulses across the Kharif and Rabi seasons.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
According to the agricultural production data published by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare for the year 2020-21, the ranking of states from highest to lowest total food grain production is:
1. Uttar Pradesh (B): Always occupies the first position in India, contributing around \( 18\% \) of total national food grains (approx. \( 58 \, \text{million tonnes} \)). This is due to its massive production of wheat and rice in the fertile Indo-Gangetic plains.
2. Madhya Pradesh (D): Occupies the second position (approx. \( 34 \, \text{million tonnes} \)). MP has seen a rapid increase in food grain production, driven by massive expansion in wheat cultivation, along with its dominant position in pulses.
3. Punjab (A): Occupies the third position (approx. \( 30 \, \text{million tonnes} \)). Despite its exceptionally high productivity (yield per hectare), its smaller geographical area compared to UP and MP keeps its total production volume in third place.
4. Rajasthan (C): Occupies the fourth position among these states (approx. \( 26 \, \text{million tonnes} \)), with high production of bajra, mustard, and pulses.
Therefore, the descending order is (B), (D), (A), (C).

Step 3: Final Answer:
The correct descending sequence is (B), (D), (A), (C).