Question

The commercialisation of agriculture that followed the introduction of railways meant that:

Options

• The government fixed minimum support prices for all crops

• Farmers were pushed to grow cash crops for export

• Agricultural land was redistributed among landless labourers

• Farmers shifted to growing food grains for their own consumption

Answer 1

The railways led to the commercialisation of agriculture, under which farmers were pushed to grow cash crops for export instead of food grains for self-consumption. This served colonial trade interests and undermined domestic food security.