India is rightly called the “Spice Bowl of the World” — not only due to its agro-climatic diversity, but also its historic and cultural linkages with spice trade. 🌍 General Features of Spices in India 🧂 Individual Spices – Conditions, Production & Trade ⚫ Pepper – “King of Spices” Factor Details Climate Warm (10°–30°C), humid…
Both arecanut and coconut are deeply woven into India’s agrarian economy and cultural practices, particularly in the southern and coastal regions. 🌰 Arecanut (Supari) – The Betel Nut Crop 🔍 Key Features ☀️🌧️ Climatic & Soil Conditions Factor Ideal Condition Temperature 15°C – 35°C Rainfall 200–300 cm (high humidity) Soil Wide range – Laterite, red…
Rubber is not just a crop — it is the lifeblood of the tyre and automobile industry and a key industrial raw material. Though native to the equatorial belt, it has found a significant home in southern India. Rubber is extracted from the latex of the tropical tree Hevea brasiliensis, which is: Remember: Rubber is…
Coffee is more than just a morning ritual or a beverage — it is a tropical plantation crop, grown primarily for its beans, which are roasted and ground to produce coffee powder. India ranks among the top 10 coffee producers globally, though its share is modest compared to Brazil or Vietnam. However, Indian coffee is…
Imagine you’re sitting in the morning with a hot cup of tea. Ever wondered what exactly you are drinking? Now, this tea bush is originally from China, not India. The British, who ruled India, saw its potential and introduced tea cultivation in India around 1840. The first commercial plantations were started in Upper Assam, near…
Plantation crops are a unique category of commercial crops grown on large estates with significant capital investment and long-term planning. Unlike seasonal crops, these crops require 3 to 5 years before the first harvest but then continue to yield returns for 35 to 40 years, making them a stable source of income over time. India…
Let’s begin with a simple question — What is palm oil? 👉 Palm oil is a type of vegetable oil that is extracted from the fruits of the oil palm tree (Elaeis guineensis). It is one of the most widely used oils in the world today. But why is it so popular? There are two…
When we talk about agriculture in India, our minds often go to wheat, rice, or sugarcane. But hidden in the background, quietly driving our kitchens, industries, and livestock care, are oilseeds. From mustard oil in your tadka to soybean meal in cattle feed, oilseeds are everywhere—yet often overlooked. 🔹 What Are Oilseeds? Oilseeds are crops…
–A Crop with Deep Roots and Wide Reach Let us begin with a simple fact: Tobacco was not born in India—it was brought by the Portuguese in 1508, during their trading voyages, and like many colonial imports, it stayed. But over time, India not only adopted tobacco; it became one of its largest producers in…
— The Pillar of India’s Commercial Crops Imagine India’s commercial crops like a royal court. There are many members—cotton, tea, coffee, jute—but the king, in terms of value of production, is Sugarcane. And this is not a new entry into the royal court. Sugarcane is indigenous to India, meaning it is as rooted in this…
