UPSC Prelims 2010 Q32: Geography – Indian Agriculture & Land Use
Following are the characteristics of an area in India:
1. Hot and humid climate
2. Annual rainfall 200 cm
3. Hill slopes up to an altitude of 1100 metres
4. Annual range of temperature 15 °C to 30 °C
Which one among the following crops are you most likely to find in the area described above?
- (a) Mustard
- (b) Cotton
- (c) Pepper
- (d) Virginia tobacco
Answer: (c) Pepper
Explanation
Identifying the crop from a specific climate profile
The area has a hot, humid climate, 200 cm annual rainfall, hill slopes up to 1100 m, and a temperature range of 15-30°C.
| Option | Verdict | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| (a) Mustard | Incorrect | Mustard is a Rabi, cooler-climate crop, not suited to this hot, humid, high-rainfall hill profile |
| (b) Cotton | Incorrect | Cotton needs drier conditions, not 200 cm of rainfall |
| (c) Pepper | Correct | Black pepper thrives on hill slopes up to about 1500 m, in hot, humid conditions with heavy rainfall — a classic profile matching the Western Ghats (Kerala/Karnataka) spice belt |
| (d) Virginia tobacco | Incorrect | This tobacco variety needs different, generally drier growing conditions, not this specific wet hill profile |
Pepper's ideal growing conditions:
| Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Climate | Hot, humid, heavy rainfall |
| Altitude | Hill slopes, typically below ~1500 m |
| Region | Western Ghats (Kerala, Karnataka) |
Answer: (c) Pepper.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Mustard needs a cooler, drier Rabi-season climate, not this hot, humid, high-rainfall profile.
- (b) Incorrect. Cotton requires drier growing conditions, unsuited to 200 cm of rainfall.
- (c) CORRECT. Pepper matches this exact profile: hot, humid, heavy rainfall, hill slopes — the Western Ghats spice-growing condition.
- (d) Incorrect. Virginia tobacco needs different, generally drier conditions than this wet hill profile.
Key point
Hot, humid climate + heavy rainfall (200 cm) + hill slopes up to ~1100m = classic conditions for PEPPER cultivation, as in the Western Ghats.
Remember
Pepper cultivation: thrives in hot, humid, heavy-rainfall hill-slope conditions, as in the Western Ghats.
Common mistakes
- Picking a dry-climate crop (cotton, mustard) for a clearly wet, high-rainfall profile.
- Not associating hill-slope + heavy rainfall + hot-humid conditions specifically with spice cultivation like pepper.
- Confusing tobacco varieties' climate needs with this described wet hill profile.
Exam tip
Hot + humid + heavy rain + hill slopes = pepper/spice country (Western Ghats). A recurring climate-to-crop matching pattern.
Sources
- Indian Institute of Spices Research, Kozhikode — Black Pepper: package of practices
- NCERT Class XII Geography — India: People and Economy — Land Resources and Agriculture (plantation agriculture)