Assertion: The price of food grains declined relative to other items ...
- The portion of agricultural produce which is sold in the market by the farmers is called marketed surplus.
- A good proportion of the rice and wheat produced during the green revolution period (available as marketed surplus) was sold by the farmers in the market. As a result, the price of food grains declined relative to other items of consumption.
- The low- income groups, who spend a large percentage of their income on food, benefited from this decline in relative prices.
The green revolution enabled the government to procure sufficient amounts of food grains to build a stock which could be used in times of food shortage.
Assertion: The price of food grains declined relative to other items ...
Assertion: The price of food grains declined relative to other items of consumption.
Reason: A good proportion of the rice and wheat produced during the green revolution period was consumed by the farmers themselves.
Explanation:
The statement made in the assertion is true, but the reason given in the assertion is false.
Explanation of Assertion:
The price of food grains, especially wheat and rice, declined relative to other items of consumption during the green revolution period. This was mainly due to the increase in production of food grains during this period. The green revolution period marked a significant increase in the production of food grains, especially in India. The use of high-yielding varieties of seeds, modern irrigation techniques, and chemical fertilizers led to a significant increase in food grain production. This increase in production led to a decline in the prices of food grains, making it more affordable for consumers.
Explanation of Reason:
The reason given in the assertion is false. It is not true that a good proportion of the rice and wheat produced during the green revolution period was consumed by the farmers themselves. In fact, the green revolution period was marked by a shift from subsistence farming to commercial farming, and farmers were encouraged to sell their surplus produce in the market. The government also procured food grains from farmers at a minimum support price to maintain buffer stocks for distribution under the public distribution system.
Conclusion:
Therefore, the correct answer is option 'C'. The assertion is true, but the reason given in the assertion is false. The decline in the price of food grains was mainly due to the increase in production of food grains during the green revolution period, and not due to farmers consuming a good proportion of their produce.