RAS question
Which crop is known as the 'Golden Crop' of Rajasthan?
Correct answer: (B) Mustard.
Mustard is known as Rajasthan's Golden Crop because its golden-yellow flowers match its high economic value for the state.
Explanation
Rajasthan's nickname "Golden Crop" refers to mustard's golden-yellow flowers and its high economic value to the state. The Government of Rajasthan's Economic Review supports the economic side of that logic. It lists rapeseed and mustard among Rajasthan's rabi oilseeds, identifies wheat, rapeseed and mustard, and gram as major contributors to income from the rabi crop sector, and records that Rajasthan secured first position in rapeseed and mustard production in 2022-23. So the nickname is not just about colour; it also reflects mustard's weight in Rajasthan's rabi agricultural economy.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Cotton is known as "white gold", not Rajasthan's Golden Crop.
- (C) Wheat is a rabi crop and a contributor to rabi crop income, but the Golden Crop nickname belongs to mustard, not wheat.
- (D) Rice is not grown extensively in Rajasthan, while mustard carries the Rajasthan-specific Golden Crop nickname.
Concept
RAS preparation covers Rajasthan's agricultural economy, especially state-specific crop nicknames and the importance of rabi oilseeds. RAS examiners often turn prominent Rajasthan crops into direct economy-and-geography facts.