Reading comprehension Home Exercise- 19 PASSAGE C

The wake up call that China represents to India is not limited to its showpiece urban centers or that New Delhi hopes India will experience the benefits that the Olympic Games have brought to Beijing. More pertinent is the comparison of the agricultural sectors of the two countries. Why and how has china managed to outstrip India in agriculture when 25 years ago the two countries were on par on most parameters? Both have traditionally been agrarian economies and over half their populations continue to depend on the land for their livelihood. With large populations and histories of famine, India and china share concern on issues such as food security. 

However, while India’s agricultural sector is projected to grow by about 2.5 per cent this year a slide from the previous year’s growth; China’s has been steadily growing at between 4 per cent and 5 per cent over the last fifteen years. The widest divergence between India and China is in the profitable horticultural sector with the production of fruits and vegetables in china leaping from 60 million tones in 1980 compared to India’s 55 million tons at the same time, to 450 million tones in 2003 ahead of India’s corresponding 135 million tones. China’s added advantage lies in the more diversified composition of its agricultural sector with animal husbandry and fisheries which account for close to 45 per cent growth compared to 30 per cent for India.

According to the latest report by the Economic Advisory council, the traditional excuses for India’s substandard performance in the farm sector are inadequate since India is placed favorably when compared to China in terms of quantity of arable land, average farm size, farm mechanization etc. the reasons for China having outperformed India are threefold: technological improvements accruing from research and development (china has over 1,000 R &D centers devoted to agriculture), investment in rural infrastructure and an increasingly liberalized agricultural policy moving away from self- sufficiency to leveraging the competitive advantage with a focus on “efficiency as much as equity”. 

Investment in rural infrastructure, roads, storage facilities marketing facilities are also crucial but government support in India has mainly been through subsidies, not investment. There has been much debate about subsidies and their utility: the opposing view being that subsidies are against the market reforms and distort the market as well as reduce resource efficiency. In contrast to the 2.046 applications for the registration of new plant varieties in China over the past few years, data reveals that despite India having the largest number of agricultural scientists in the world, India’s current research track record is abysmal, equivalent to what china achieved in the 1980s. For from developing new strains, the number of field crop varieties fell by 50 per cent between 1997 and 2001 despite the number of field crop varieties fell by 50 per cent between 1997 and 2001 despite the fact that there was sharp and sustained increase in funding.

One reason is that majority of the budget is eaten up by staff salaries with only 3 per cent being allotted for research. In contrast, most agricultural research centers in China must use Central government funding purely for research. Funds relating to salaries and other administrative incidentals must be generated by the centers themselves. The centers and scientists are thus encouraged to engage in joint ventures with private sector companies to form commercial signoffs from their research. In fact, research staffs are now being hired on a contract basis with pay based on performance and salaries raised proportionately for those who perform well. India needs to learn from China’s example and adopt a pragmatic approach if it has to meet its targets of the Eleventh Five year Plan.

1.       What has been the Major area of difference in the development of the agricultural sectors of India and China?

A.      Quantity of arable land in China is far greater than in India.

B.      Food security is not a concern for China as the country is basically self- sufficient

C.      China has experienced substantial growth in production in allied agricultural activities like horticulture.

D.      India’s agricultural sector is too diversified so it is difficult to channel funds for development.

2.       Which of the following is /are area / s in which China has not outdone India?

A.      Development of urban infrastructure

B.      Activities allied to agriculture like animal husbandry

C.      Successful bids for international sporting events

A.      None

B.      Only (B)

C.      Only (A)

D.      Both (A) & (C)

3.       Which of the following is NOT TRUE in the context of the passage?

A.      Agricultural status of china and India was equivalent a quarter of a century ago.

B.      India’s current economic growth rate is half that o China.

C.      China is traditionally an agrarian economy.

D.      Agricultural research in India is inadequate.

4.       How is Chinese agricultural research facilities governed?

A.      Salaries of staff are linked to performance and the hampers productive research.

B.      Their funding comes from the government alone to prevent private companies from manipulating the direction of their research.

C.      A fixed proportion of government grants is allotted to be utilized for administrative incidentals which cannot be exceeded.

D.      None of these

5.       According to the author which of the following is a legitimate explanation for India’s stagnating agricultural sector?

A.      India diverts funds that should be spent on agricultural research to urban development.

B.      Reforms are hampered because adequate subsidies are not provided by the government.

C.      The productive for registering new plant varieties is very tedious so research is limited.

a.       Only (A)

b.      Only (B)

c.        Only (C)

d.      None of these

6.       Which of the following is an advantage that India holds over China with respect to the agricultural sector?

A.      Lack of diversification of the agricultural sector.

B.      Superior technology and farming practices

C.      Granter prevalence  of farm mechanization

D.      Provision of fertilizer and power subsidies.

7.       Why was there a drop in development of new crop varieties for five years from 997?

A.      Government funding for research fell during that period.

B.      Funds were diverted during this period to agricultural mechanization

C.      The private sector was not allowed to fund research.

D.      None of these.

8.       What argument has been post against implementation of subsidies?

A.      Subsides sacrifice equity for efficiency.

B.      Subsidies hamper efficient resource utilization.

C.      Subsidies reduce private sector investment and involvement in agriculture.

A.      Both (A) & (B)

B.      Only (B)

C.       both (B) & (C)

D.      Only (A)

9.       Which of the following cannot be said about Indian agricultural universities?

A.      Attendance is poor because of the dwindling funds to carry out research.

B.      Enrollments of students and qualified staff have fallen because of the lack of funds  for salaries.

C.      Allotment for  research funding by the government , is non-existed

A.      Only (B)

B.      Both (A) & (B)

C.      Both (B) & (C)

D.      All (A), (B) & (C)

10.   Which of the following is not responsible for china’s successful transformation of its agricultural sector?

A.      Change in philosophy from self- sufficiency to competitiveness and efficiency

B.      Grater allocation  for subsidies

C.      Increased internment marketing and distribution network greater allocation for subsidies

A.      Only (B)

B.      Both (B) & (c)

C.      North (A) & (C)

D.      A11 (A), (B), & (C)

Answer:

 

1.       C  Read the lines, “the widest divergence between India and China is that profitable horticulture sector China’s added advantage lies in the more diversified composition of its agricultural sector…”

2.       A   According to the passage, China has outdone India in all d areas mentioned.

3.       B   The passage talks only about agricultural growth rate, not economic growth in general.

4.       D   None of statements is completely correct.

5.       D  None of the reasons started are true according to the passage.

6.       C   India is placed favorably when compared to china in terms of Quantity of arable land, average farm size farm mechanization etc.

7.       D  One of the reasons stated in the passage is Majority of the budget us eaten up by staff salaries with only 3 per cent being allotted for research. But the reason is not mentioned in any of the statements.

8.       C  There has been much debate about subsidies and their utility; the opposing view being that subsidies are against the market reforms and distorts the market as well as reduce resource efficiency.

9.       D   All the three statements incorrect according to the passage.

10.   A China has concentrated on investment rather than on subsidies.