Question

Which is a very important food crop of Karnataka ?

(A) Pulses
(B) Cotton
(C) Rubber
(D) Paddy

Answer 1

Hint:
Rice is more or less the staple food of most residents of Karnataka. Cereals as a whole are very important food crops in Karnataka. More than 28% of the total cultivable land is taken up by paddy cultivation in Karnataka.

Complete solution:
 Paddy is a very important crop of Karnataka. The cultivation of paddy happens in each and every one of the districts of Karnataka.. Maize, pulses and oil seeds are also grown extensively in the state. The important areas in Karnataka where paddy cultivation happens are the Krishna Tungabhadra valley, Cauvery valley and the coastal districts. Among all the districts, Raichur leads in production of paddy. Karnataka is the leading state in the production of coarse cereals, coffee and silk in India. The area under cultivation of paddy has recorded exponential growth in the last five decades.

The agriculture in Karnataka is mostly dependent on the South-West Monsoon. Paddy is a Kharif crop and the Kharif season accounts for 70 percent of the state’s annual food grain and oilseed production and paddy makes up an important share. A rice-based cropping pattern is mainly followed by Karnataka.

Hence, the correct answer is option D.

Note:
Major crop alternatives to paddy are ragi, bajra, cotton, groundnut, jowar and maize. Karnataka also produces a wide variety of oilseeds including groundnut, sesame, sunflower, soybean and sunflower. There are also commercial crops like sugarcane, tobacco etc. The Western Ghats, which lie on the west side of Karnataka are well known for coffee and tea plantations.