UPSC (2026) Practice MCQ on Agriculture • Procurement • PDS • MSP • Pulses & Oilseeds • FPOs • Food Security

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1. With reference to foodgrain procurement in India, consider the following statements:

1. FCI procures all foodgrains exclusively under the National Food Security Act.

2. The Central Pool includes stocks maintained by FCI as well as the State agencies.

3. Procurement operations for paddy are carried out only by the State Civil Supplies Corporations.

Which of the above is/are correct?

A. 1 only
B. 2 only
C. 2 and 3 only
D. 1 and 3 only

Answer: B

Explanation:

• Procurement also happens for schemes outside NFSA → (1) incorrect.

• Central Pool includes FCI + state agencies → (2) correct.

• Paddy procurement may involve cooperatives, marketing federations, FPOs etc., not only State CSCs → (3) incorrect.

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2. Consider the following crops:

1. Paddy

2. Wheat

3. Pulses

4. Oilseeds

Which of the above have assured procurement at MSP by the Central Government?

A. 1 and 2 only
B. 1, 2 and 3 only
C. 3 and 4 only
D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Answer: A

Explanation:
Only paddy and wheat enjoy open-ended assured procurement. Pulses and oilseeds are procured selectively under schemes like PM-AASHA.

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3. With reference to the concept of “Central Pool stocks”, consider the following statements:

1. It includes buffer stock requirements.

2. It includes operational stocks for PDS distribution.

3. It excludes stocks used for welfare schemes other than NFSA.

How many of the above statements are correct?

A. Only one
B. Only two
C. All three
D. None

Answer: B (1 and 2)

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4. The excess stock of rice in the Central Pool implies which of the following outcomes?

1. Increase in carrying cost for the government

2. Distortion of cropping patterns towards water-intensive crops

3. Lower food subsidy bill

A. 1 and 2 only
B. 2 only
C. 1 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3

Answer: A

Explanation:
Food subsidy bill increases, not decreases.

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5. In India, the Minimum Support Price (MSP) is declared for which of the following?

1. All major pulses

2. All major oilseeds

3. Major coarse cereals

4. All horticulture crops

A. 1, 2 and 3 only
B. 1 and 4 only
C. 1 and 2 only
D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Answer: A

Explanation:
MSP does not exist for horticulture crops.

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6. Consider the following pairs:

Scheme	Implementing Agency
1. PM-AASHA	Ministry of Agriculture
2. NFSA	Ministry of Consumer Affairs
3. PM-KUSUM	Ministry of Rural Development

How many pairs are correctly matched?

A. One
B. Two
C. All three
D. None

Answer: B (1 and 2)

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7. With reference to edible oil imports, consider the following statements:

1. India meets more than half of its edible oil demand through imports.

2. India imports both crude and refined edible oils.

3. Indonesia and Argentina together supply more than half of India’s edible oil imports.

Which of the above are correct?

A. 1 and 2 only
B. 1 and 3 only
C. 2 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3

Answer: A

Explanation:
Indonesia + Malaysia dominate; Argentina’s share is much smaller → (3) incorrect.

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8. With reference to pulses production in India, consider:

1. India is the world’s largest producer of pulses.

2. India is self-sufficient in pulses production.

3. India has seen sustained growth in pulse productivity over the last decade.

A. 1 only
B. 1 and 2 only
C. 1 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3

Answer: A

(2) incorrect → India imports.
(3) incorrect → productivity is stagnant and erratic.

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9. Consider the following:

1. Price Support Scheme (PSS)

2. Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS)

3. Private Procurement and Stockist Scheme (PPSS)

Which are components of PM-AASHA?

A. 1 and 2 only
B. 2 and 3 only
C. 1, 2 and 3
D. 1 and 3 only

Answer: C

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10. In the context of crop diversification in India, which of the following acts as a major constraint?

1. Lack of assured procurement for alternative crops

2. Poor market linkage and storage infrastructure

3. High yield-risk in pulses and oilseeds

4. Higher irrigation requirement of non-cereal crops

A. 1, 2 and 3 only
B. 1 and 2 only
C. 2, 3 and 4 only
D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Answer: A

Explanation:
Non-cereal crops generally require less irrigation → (4) incorrect.

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11. With reference to FPOs in India, consider the following statements:

1. FPOs are registered only under the Companies Act.

2. FPOs are eligible for equity grants from the central government.

3. FPOs can act as procurement agencies for State governments.

Which are correct?

A. 1 and 3 only
B. 2 and 3 only
C. 1 and 2 only
D. 2 only

Answer: B

FPOs can be registered under multiple laws (Societies Act, Cooperative Act etc.).

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12. The leakage in the PDS system may be attributed to:

1. Ghost beneficiaries

2. Diversion of grains

3. Poor storage and transportation systems

4. Aadhaar-based authentication errors

How many of the above contribute to leakage?

A. One
B. Two
C. Three
D. All four

Answer: D

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13. In India, which of the following can legally impose stock limits on agricultural commodities?

1. Central Government

2. State Governments

3. District Collectors

4. FCI

A. 1 and 2 only
B. 1, 2 and 3
C. 1 and 3 only
D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Answer: B

FCI cannot impose stock limits.

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14. Consider the following pairs:

Agricultural Issue	Primary Cause
1. Rice surplus	Open-ended procurement
2. Edible oil deficit	Stagnant oilseed productivity
3. Pulse import dependence	Lower procurement at MSP

How many pairs are correctly matched?

A. One
B. Two
C. All three
D. None

Answer: C

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15. Which of the following would most likely reduce India’s edible oil import bill?

1. Expansion of oil palm under NMEO-OP

2. Price deficiency payment for oilseeds

3. Increase in MSP for sugarcane

4. Promotion of mustard and groundnut cultivation in non-traditional areas

A. 1, 2 and 4 only
B. 1 and 4 only
C. 2 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3 only

Answer: A

Sugarcane MSP is irrelevant to edible oil imports.

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16. Consider the following statements:

1. Wheat procurement in India has sometimes fallen short of PDS offtake.

2. Rice procurement has consistently exceeded PDS offtake in the last three years.

3. Buffer norms for rice are fixed only for quarterly periods, not monthly.

Which are correct?

A. 1 and 2 only
B. 2 and 3 only
C. 1 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3

Answer: D

All statements are correct.

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17. Which of the following factors discourage farmers from shifting away from paddy cultivation?

1. Low risk and assured MSP

2. Water availability under canal irrigation

3. High returns from pulse crops

4. Well-developed procurement mechanism

A. 1, 2 and 4 only
B. 1 and 3 only
C. 1, 2 and 3 only
D. 2 and 4 only

Answer: A

Pulses have lower returns and higher risk → (3) incorrect.

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18. In Indian agriculture, which practices are crucial for sustainable crop rotation?

1. Pulses integration

2. Oilseed–cereal rotation

3. Rice–rice cropping

4. Legume fallows

A. 1, 2 and 4 only
B. 1 and 3 only
C. 1 and 4 only
D. 2 and 3 only

Answer: A

Rice–rice cropping is not sustainable → (3) incorrect.

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19. Consider the following with respect to the Food Corporation of India (FCI):

1. It determines MSP for all foodgrains.

2. It maintains buffer stocks as per norms.

3. It distributes grains to States for NFSA beneficiaries.

Which are correct?

A. 1 and 2 only
B. 2 and 3 only
C. 1 only
D. 3 only

Answer: B

MSP is fixed by CACP/Union Government, not FCI.

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20. The rising gap between rice procurement and PDS offtake implies which of the following policy risks?

1. Increased fiscal burden

2. Distortion in farmers' crop choice

3. Higher dependence on rice imports

A. 1 and 2 only
B. 2 and 3 only
C. 1 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3

Answer: A

India does not import rice → (3) incorrect.