UP High Court RO / ARO 05 Jan 2022 Shift 2

Which one of the following describes a system of agriculture where a single crop is grown on a large area?

Verified Answer
A. Shifting Agriculture
B. Plantation Agriculture
C. Horticulture
D. Intensive Agriculture

Explanation:

The system of agriculture where a single cash crop is cultivated on a large estate, often for commercial purposes and typically for export, is known as Plantation Agriculture. Examples include tea, coffee, rubber, sugarcane, and banana plantations. Option A, Shifting Agriculture (or 'slash-and-burn'), involves cultivating a piece of land for a few years and then abandoning it for a new one. Option C, Horticulture, is the art and science of cultivating fruits, vegetables, flowers, or ornamental plants. Option D, Intensive Agriculture, is characterized by high levels of input (labor, capital, fertilizers, pesticides) per unit of land to maximize yield, often involving multiple crops or high-density farming, but not necessarily a single crop on a large area as its defining feature. Thus, Plantation Agriculture perfectly describes the given scenario.