Economic Geography (Part-2)

Total Questions: 48

1. Which one of the following is NOT a major Cocoa producer country? [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2021]

Correct Answer: (a) Latvia
Solution:Cocoa beans are produced from the cocoa tree, which is dried to make chocolate. Apart from this, its oil is also used for applying to the skin and hair and for cooking.

According to FAO data 2022 Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana and Indonesia are at the top of the 3 largest producer of cocoa in the world. Cameroon is also 5th major producer of cocoa. Alternatively, Latvia is a country that produces less cocoa.

2. Consider the following statements - [I.A.S. (Pre) 2023]

1. India has more arable area than China.

2. The proportion of irrigated area is more in Indian as compared to China.

3. The average productivity per hectare in India agriculture is higher than that in China.

How many of the above statements are correct?

Correct Answer: (b) Only two
Solution:Arable land is a type of land that can be used for growing crops. This land is an significant indicator of any country's agricultural potential as well as food security. Significantly, India has about 154.45 million Hectares of as per World Bank data 2021. China has about 108.8 Hectares of arable land.

Notably, India has more arable land than China. The proportion of irrigated area is around 48-49% in India while China has the capacity of 41%. So statement 2 is correct.

While talking about the productivity, it can be measured by the yield per unit area of land, which is the amount of crop produced per hectare/acre. The average productivity per hectare in India agriculture is higher than that in China. This statement is not correct.

3. The leading producer of both wheat and rice in the world is : [U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2006, U.P. Lower Sub. (Spl) (Pre) 2004, Uttarakhand U.D.A./L.D.A. (Pre) 2003]

Correct Answer: (a) China
Solution:According to the Food and Agriculture Organizations (FAO STAT) for 2022-

Wheat -

(1) China-137.72 million tonnes

(2) India 107.74 million tonnes

(3) Russia-104.23 million tonnes

(4) USA-44.90 million tonnes

Rice -

(1) China - 208.49 million tonnes

(2) India 196.24 million tonnes

(3) Bangladesh - 57.18 million tonnes

(4) Indonesia - 54.74 million tonnes

4. India's rank in rice production in the world is: [U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2013]

Correct Answer: (b) Second
Solution:According to the Food and Agriculture Organizations (FAO STAT) for 2022-

Wheat -

(1) China-137.72 million tonnes

(2) India 107.74 million tonnes

(3) Russia-104.23 million tonnes

(4) USA-44.90 million tonnes

Rice -

(1) China - 208.49 million tonnes

(2) India 196.24 million tonnes

(3) Bangladesh - 57.18 million tonnes

(4) Indonesia - 54.74 million tonnes

5. Arrange the following countries in the descending order of their wheat production and select the correct answer from the code given below : [U.P.P.C.S. (Spl) (Mains) 2008]

1. China

2. India

3. Russia

4.U.S.A.

Code:

Correct Answer: (a) 1, 2, 3, 4
Solution:Option (b) was the correct descending order of wheat producing countries when this question was asked. However, according to FAO data 2022, after China and India, Russia is the third largest producer of wheat and USA is in fourth place. So, in present situation option (a) is correct.

6. The largest wheat producing country in the world is - [Uttarakhand P.C.S. (Mains) 2006]

Correct Answer: (c) China
Solution:China consistently ranks as the world's top wheat producer, accounting for a significant portion of global wheat production. Following China, India, Russia, and the United States are also major wheat-producing countries.

In 2022, China produced 137.7 million tonnes of wheat, followed by India with 107.7 million tonnes and Russia with 104.2 million tonnes. The total global wheat production in 2022 was 808.4 million tonnes.

7. Which of the following countries has the highest productivity of rice? [U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2015]

Correct Answer: (a) China
Solution:The highest productivity of Rice was in China when this question was asked. According to FAO- 2022 data, the production of Rice per hectare in Australia is 110545 hg/ha followed by Uruguay (93381 hg/ha). The production of Rice per hactare in China Mainland 70796 hg/ha, India 42294 hg/ ha and in Japan 69208 hg/ha.

8. The cultivation of hybrid rice is most popular in- [U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2013]

Correct Answer: (b) China
Solution:China pioneered the commercialization of hybrid rice technology in the late 1970s, with Yuan Longping, often called the "Father of Hybrid Rice," playing a crucial role.

The adoption of hybrid rice in China has been rapid, with the area planted to hybrid rice increasing significantly over the years. The cultivation of hybrid rice has led to substantial increases in rice production and yields per hectare in China.

China's success with hybrid rice has had a global impact, with other countries, including India, also adopting the technology to improve rice yields. Hybrid rice is now planted on more than 50% of China's rice-growing fields, and it is credited with contributing significantly to the country's high rice yields.

China has also made significant advancements in super-hybrid rice, which has led to even higher yields and improved rice quality. China is the largest adopter of hybrid rice, and its advancements in this area have had a significant impact on global food security.

9. The 'Rice Gene Bank' of the world is situated in - [U.P. Lower Sub. (Pre) 2015]

Correct Answer: (b) Philippines
Solution:The Rice Gene Bank is situated in the International Rice Research Institute in Los Banos, Philippines. IRRI is an independent, nonprofit, research and educational institute, founded in 1960 by the Ford and Rockefeller foundations with support from the Philippine government.

It is the world's premier research organization dedicated to reducing poverty, hunger, and malnutrition through rice science.

It aims to improve the health and welfare of those who depend on rice-based agri-food systems, and promote and protect the environmental sustainability of rice farming for future generations. The institute has offices in 17 rice-growing countries in Asia and Africa.

10. Which one of the following countries is the second largest producer of sugarcane in the World? [U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2016]

Correct Answer: (c) India
Solution:According to 2022 food and Agriculture organization data, India is the second largest producer of sugarcane in the World after Brazil. Sugarcane is a giant tropical grass from the family Graminaceae, whose stalk has the particular capacity to store a crystallizable sugar, sucrose.lt is the main source of sugar, Gur (jaggery), khandsari and molasses.

Top Sugarcane Producing States: Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Bihar. India has emerged as the largest producer of sugarcane in the world, surpassing Brazil during the 2021-22.India has consistently been the second-largest exporter of sugar, following Brazil.