SSC Steno Grade C and D 12 Sep 2017 Shift 1 Paper

Directions (166–180) : In the following questions, you have three brief passages with 5 questions following each passage. Read the passages carefully and choose the best answer to each question out of the four alternatives.
   Passage-I

   (Q Nos. 166 to 170)  
A growing demand for organics, and the near-total reliance by US farmers on genetically modified corn and soyabeans, is driving a surge in imports from other nations where crops largely are free of bioengineering. Imports such as corn from Romania and soyabeans from India are booming, according to an analysis of US trade data released on Wednesday by the Organic Trade Association and Pennsylvania State University. That shows a potential market for US growers willing to avoid the use of artificial chemicals and genetically modified seeds, said Laura Batcha, chief executive officer of the association, which includes Whole Foods Market Inc., Whitewave Foods Co-operation and Earthbound Farm LLC. The report is “a help-wanted sign” for US farmers, Batcha said. “There are market distortions that are pretty striking.” Most of the corn and soyabean shipments become feed for chickens and cows so they can be certified organic under US Department of Agriculture guidelines. Organic poultry and dairy operators shun feed made with seeds from Monsanto Co. and other domestic suppliers in favour of foreign products even as the US remains the world’s top grower of corn and soyabeans. As a result, imports to the US of Romanian corn rose to $11.6 million in 2014 from $545,000 the year before. Soyabean imports from India more than doubled to $73.8 million. Rising consumer demand in what’s been a niche market is creating shortages, pushing companies that supply farms. needing organic feed to seek out foreign sources. About 90% of US corn and soya is bioengineered, thus automatically ineligible for the organic label.