SBI PO Prelims 2026 Mock Test (New Pattern) 03

1. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given after it. India is one of the world's largest producers of fruits and vegetables, yet a sizeable share of this produce never reaches a consumer's plate. Tomatoes soften in the back of open trucks, bananas ripen too early in crowded markets and leafy vegetables wilt within hours of harvest. Estimates of the loss vary, but most studies agree that it runs into thousands of crores of rupees every year. The main culprit is the lack of a cold chain, the network of refrigerated warehouses, pack-houses and temperature-controlled vehicles that keeps produce fresh from the farm to the shop. Large cold-storage units do exist, but many of them are built for a single crop, potatoes, and stand half empty for much of the year. Small farmers, who grow a mix of crops on tiny plots, rarely have access to such facilities close to their fields. Some entrepreneurs are now trying a different approach. They install small solar-powered cold rooms at village collection centres, where farmers can store produce for a modest daily fee. Because the farmer is no longer forced to sell on the day of harvest, he can wait for better prices instead of accepting whatever a trader offers. Early results are encouraging, but the operators admit that the rooms pay for themselves only when they are used throughout the year. Experts believe that the cold chain will grow faster if it is planned around clusters of farms rather than individual units, and if banks treat stored produce as collateral for short-term loans. Without such support, they warn, India will continue to grow more food than it can keep.

   Q1.Which of the following best describes the problem discussed in the passage?

   • A.Refrigerated trucks are banned in India
   • B.A large share of fruits and vegetables is lost before it reaches consumers
   • C.Consumers refuse to buy fresh produce
   • D.India produces too few fruits and vegetables
   • E.Traders pay farmers too much

2. Q2.According to the passage, what is a 'cold chain'?

   • A.A chain of grocery shops owned by one company
   • B.A network of refrigerated storage and transport that keeps produce fresh from farm to shop
   • C.A scheme for free electricity to farmers
   • D.A type of solar panel
   • E.A group of farmers who grow only potatoes

3. Q3.Why do many large cold-storage units stand half empty for much of the year?

   • A.They charge no fees
   • B.Farmers are not allowed to use them
   • C.They are located inside cities
   • D.They run only on solar power
   • E.They are built for a single crop, potatoes

Start the test to answer these. Correct answers and explanations are shown after you submit.