Which of the following is the main food crop of the semi-arid areas of central and southern India?

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SSC CGL 2021 Tier-I (Held On : 20 April 2022 Shift 1)
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  1. Jowar 
  2. Ragi
  3. Maize
  4. Bajra

Answer (Detailed Solution Below)

Option 1 : Jowar 
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Detailed Solution

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The correct answer is Jowar.

Key Points

  • Jowar is the main food crop in semi-arid areas of central and southern India.
  • Maharashtra alone produces more than half of the total jowar production of the country.
  • It is both Kharif and Rabi crops in Southern India.
  • It is a Kharif crop in northern India.
  • Other leading producer states of jowar are Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana.

Additional Information

  • Ragi
    • ​'Ragi' also known as Finger Millet, is a popular food grain crop in India.
    • It is a Kharif crop.
    • It is called dry land crops, mostly cultivated by the people of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu & Kerala.
    • Grown in both tropical and sub-tropic regions.
  • Maize
    • In India, maize is the third most important food crop after rice and wheat. 
    • Maize in India contributes nearly 9 % to the national food basket.
    • Maize also serves as a basic raw material as an ingredient in thousands of industrial products including:
      •  starch, oil, protein, alcoholic beverages, food sweeteners, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, film, textiles, gum, etc.
    • The predominant maize-growing states are Andhra Pradesh (20.9 %), Karnataka (16.5 %), and Rajasthan (9.9 %), Maharashtra (9.1 %).
  • Bajra
    • ​In India, Bajra is an essential food crop in the millet category after Jowar.
    • It is cultivated in a warm and dry climate between June and October.
    • It is a Kharif crop.
    • Bajra requires light soil with proper water drainage.
    • However, it can be grown in all types of soils.
    • Out of the whole Bajra production in the country, 85% is grown in Rajasthan.
    • India is in first place in Bajra production in the world.
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