Question

Read the following statements and select the appropriate option:

Statement 1 (S1): There was a shortage of food crops in India.
Statement 2 (S2): Farmers turned to commercialised agriculture.

• A. Both S1 and S2 are true and S2 is a result of S1.
• B. Both S1 and S2 are true and S1 is a result of S2.
• C. S1 is true but S2 is not true.
• D. Both S1 and S2 are true but the two statements are unrelated.

Answer 1

The correct option is B Both S1 and S2 are true and S1 is a result of S2.

The British were in the pursuit of commercialised agriculture. Commercial crops like cotton, jute, groundnuts, oilseeds, sugarcane, and tobacco sold for higher prices than food grains. Instead of food and sustenance crops, peasants began growing cash crops in hopes of clearing their debts and paying their taxes. This lead to shortage in food crops which affected them severely.

But the change to cash crops did not work out as the peasants had hoped. They had to depend on the international market rates. In many instances, they were blindsided when price fell or demand changed.