Question

What is the staple food of Haryana and Punjab?
A. Rice
B. Wheat
C. Millet
D. Maize

Answer 1

Hint: The soil of Punjab is extremely fertile and major rabi crops are grown here. Hence it’s called India’s “bread basket.” Rabi crops are those crops which are harvested during spring season and sown during the winter season.

Complete Answer:
Before we find the correct answer, let us know a little more about the geography and climate in Haryana and Punjab. Haryana and Punjab has a well-pulverized soil having a proper balance of moisture and the climate is rather dry and cold when compared to south India.

 Option A: The soil and temperature in Western India(including Haryana and Punjab) is not very conductive to the growth of rice. As rice is a kharif crop it requires a good amount of rainfall. These places do not receive adequate rainfall required for the growth of rice .So the production of rice is comparatively low. Hence rice is not a staple diet in Haryana and Punjab. Therefore, this is an incorrect option.

Option B: Wheat is a Rabi crop which is sown during winter and harvested during spring. These crops do not require much rainfall. They also require fertile soil to grow in. As the soil , temperature and rainfall in Western India is more conductive to the growth of wheat, wheat is the major cultivated Rabi crop in Haryana and Punjab. Hence wheat is the staple diet in Haryana and Punjab. Therefore, this is the correct option.

Option C: When compared to wheat , the cultivation of millet in these areas are rather low. Haryana and Punjab being the ‘Land of rotis’, people mainly use wheat to make ‘rotis’. Also millet is small in size and hard, so it is not easy to consume. Most importantly consumption of millet can prevent the absorption of other nutrients. Hence it is mainly used as cattle fodder. Therefore, this is an incorrect option.

Option D: Maize is a kharif crop like rice with climatic requirements not suited for cultivation in Haryana and Punjab. Hence it is not cultivated on a large scale. So it cannot be used as a staple diet. Therefore, this is an incorrect option.

Thus, the correct option is B, Wheat.

Note: Wheat is one of the important grains in the world. It is used in various fields like bread making, cake and biscuit making and also as animal feed. It is a good source of minerals and vitamins thereby making it a staple food product.