RAS question
Which of the following statements about rice cultivation worldwide is INCORRECT?
Correct answer: (C) Thailand is the world largest exporter of rice.
Thailand is not the world's largest rice exporter; India has held that position since 2012.
Explanation
Thailand is the incorrect statement because India, not Thailand, has been the largest global rice exporter since 2012. The USDA Economic Research Service notes that India currently ships more rice each year than the next three largest exporters combined; its exports crossed 21 million tonnes in 2021 and peaked at 22.1 million tonnes in 2022, though export restrictions were expected to reduce shipments in 2023 and 2024. This matches the older pattern in the explanation: Thailand was historically the leading exporter, but India overtook it after 2012, while Vietnam also remains a major exporter. The other statements describe standard rice geography: Asian dominance, warm and wet growing conditions, and intensive East Asian cultivation.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) This is not the incorrect statement because Asia dominates both global rice production and consumption.
- (B) This is not the incorrect statement because rice is a warm, wet kharif crop and performs best with abundant water and clayey, water-retentive soil.
- (D) This is not the incorrect statement because intensive cultivation in East Asian countries such as Japan and South Korea is associated with very high rice yields per hectare.
Concept
This tests the World Geography theme of crop distribution and global agricultural trade. RAS repeats such facts because export leadership can change even when older textbooks still name a historical leader.