A farmer in Punjab grows rice as his main cash crop, while a farmer in Odisha grows the same crop primarily t…

Question

A farmer in Punjab grows rice as his main cash crop, while a farmer in Odisha grows the same crop primarily to feed his family. What does this contrast tell us about how we should classify a crop — is it the crop itself or something else that determines whether it is 'commercial' or 'subsistence'? Justify your answer with this example.

Accepted Answer

## Model Answer Whether a crop is 'commercial' or 'subsistence' is **not determined by the crop itself, but by the purpose for which it is grown.** The textbook states: *"Rice is a commercial crop in Haryana and Punjab, but in Odisha, it is a subsistence crop."* The Punjab farmer grows rice using HYV seeds, fertilisers and irrigation to sell in the market for profit — this is commercial farming. The Odisha farmer grows the same crop primarily to feed his family — this is subsistence farming. Thus, the **intention (market sale vs. self-consumption)** and the **inputs used** determine the nature of farming, not the crop itself. *Source: Agriculture (Chapter 4), Types of Farming — Commercial Farming* --- ## Explanation - The examiner wants you to extract the core concept: classification depends on **purpose**, not crop type. - The exact textbook example (Punjab/Haryana = commercial; Odisha = subsistence) must be cited — it is given verbatim in the source and examiners expect it. - Mentio…

Social Science (087) — AI-generated practice question