In terms of agricultural land use and cropping patterns, Punjab is a pioneer of the Green Revolution in India. Which combination of cereal crops dominates the gross cropped area of the state under intensive farming?

💡 Solution & Explanation

Wheat during the rabi season and paddy during the kharif season form the dominant cereal crop rotation that defines modern agriculture in Punjab. Bajra and Jowar are coarse cereals predominantly grown in arid regions like Rajasthan rather than the irrigated plains of Punjab. Tea and coffee require high rainfall, acidic hill soils, and tropical conditions found in states like Assam, Kerala, and Karnataka. Rubber and spices are strictly confined to humid tropical southern and northeastern states. Cereal monoculture in Punjab has driven national food security but raised significant ecological concerns regarding soil and water.