Roughly extending from 8Рnorth to 38Рnorth latitude and from 68Рeast to 98Рeast longitude the country of India is of great geographical extent and diversities. It sprawls from the snowy ranges of the Himalayas in the north to the shores of the Indian Ocean in the south through the great plains and plateaus in between. It is about 3200 km in length from north (Kashmir) to south (Kanyakumari) and 2900 km from west (Gujarat) to east (Arunachal Pradesh), its vast ness in area and variation in tropographic character and geological structure result in great diversities in climate, vegetation, soil, cropping pattern, human activities and so on across the country. It is often known as a subcontinent. Which one of the following is not an important reason behind the prevailing variation in cropping patterns in the country ?

The cropping patterns in India are primarily influenced by physical, institutional, infrastructural, and technological factors. Physical factors include climate (specifically rainfall and temperature) and soil types [4]. Infrastructural factors such as irrigation facilities significantly alter cropping patterns by allowing the cultivation of water-intensive crops like rice and sugarcane in otherwise dry regions [1]. While altitude (topography) is a physical factor that influences general vegetation and specific mountain crops, the prevailing variations in India's vast agricultural landscape are most significantly driven by the availability of water (rainfall and irrigation) and soil suitability [2]. In the context of the provided options, variation in altitude is considered the least 'important' reason for the broad, prevailing shifts in cropping patterns across the great plains and plateaus compared to the critical roles of rainfall, soil, and irrigation infrastructure [4].

Sources

1. [2] Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 11: Agriculture - Part II > 11.2 Farming System and Cropping Pattern in India > p. 337
2. [4] Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 9: Agriculture > Factors Influencing Cropping Pattern > p. 311
3. [1] Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 10: Spatial Organisation of Agriculture > CROPPING PATTERNS > p. 1