UPSC CSE Prelims
Question 97
India has experienced persistent and high food inflation in the recent past. What could be the reasons ?
- Due to a gradual switchover to the cultivation of commercial crops, the area under the cultivation of food grains has steadily decreased in the last five years by about 30%.
- As a consequence of increasing incomes, the consumption patterns of the people have undergone a significant change.
- The food supply chain has structural constraints.
Which of the statements given above are correct ?
View correct answer and explanation
Correct answer: B
Correct Option: B
Explanation: Rising incomes increased demand for diverse and higher-value foods, while storage, marketing and transport bottlenecks constrained supply; the claimed 30% foodgrain-area fall is unsupported.
Statement / Item-wise Analysis:
1: Incorrect - Incorrect: India’s foodgrain cultivated area did not consistently drop by about 30% over the stated period.
2: Correct - Correct: changing incomes and diets shift demand to more varied foods.
3: Correct - Correct: cold-chain, distribution and market constraints can push food prices upward.
Option-wise Analysis:
A: Incorrect - includes unsupported item 1; omits supported item 3.
B: Correct - includes the supported statements and excludes the unsupported ones.
C: Incorrect - includes unsupported item 1; omits supported item 2.
D: Incorrect - includes unsupported item 1.