Question Statement:
Consider the argument:
"A regional agricultural cooperative introduced subsidized solar irrigation pumps across a drought-prone district. Two years later, the groundwater table dropped by an alarming $4\text{ metres}$, even though annual rainfall was normal. The cooperative concluded that solar pumps directly caused the water table depletion by eliminating the marginal fuel cost of pumping, thereby incentivizing farmers to pump water continuously."
Which of the following, if true, most strongly WEAKENS the cooperative's conclusion?
Options:
- (A) Solar pumps require minimal routine mechanical maintenance compared to diesel engines.
- (B) Concurrently with the solar pump scheme, the regional government mandated a shift from low-water millets to water-intensive sugarcane cultivation across the entire district.
- (C) Farmers with solar pumps reported higher seasonal gross revenues than those operating diesel pumps.
- (D) The photovoltaic panels degraded in energy conversion efficiency by $2\%$ per year due to dust deposition.