Why do farmers in Kerala grow rice while farmers in Punjab grow mostly wheat? What would happen if they swapped?
Farmers in Kerala grow rice because Kerala has a tropical wet climate with high rainfall from both southwest and northeast monsoons, and has alluvial and laterite soils suitable for paddy cultivation.
Farmers in Punjab grow wheat because Punjab has a subtropical climate with alluvial soil, and wheat is a rabi crop that grows well in the winter season with irrigation support.
If they swapped crops, both regions would face difficulties — rice requires abundant water which Punjab's climate cannot naturally provide, while wheat needs cooler winter temperatures which Kerala's tropical climate cannot offer.
The crops would not thrive well, leading to poor yields and economic losses for farmers.
Explanation
The chapter explains that India has varied climates and soils that influence crop cultivation. Kerala receives rainfall from both monsoons (Page 7), enabling rice cultivation throughout the year. Punjab, in the subtropical northern plains, grows wheat as a rabi crop. The chapter emphasizes that 'growing crops is dependent on several factors — the soil, the climate, the availability of water, the terrain' (Page 3). The agroclimatic zones determine what grows where, making crop swaps impractical.
Solution Steps
Kerala farmers grow rice due to tropical wet climate, high rainfall from both monsoons, and suitable alluvial/laterite soils for paddy cultivation
Punjab farmers grow wheat due to subtropical climate, alluvial soil, and wheat being a rabi crop suited for winter with irrigation support
A crop swap would cause difficulties — rice needs abundant water that Punjab cannot naturally provide, while wheat needs cooler winters that Kerala cannot offer
The result would be poor yields and economic losses for farmers in both regions