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UPSC Prelims 2022 · Agriculture · Crops and Where They Grow
Consider the following States: 1. Andhra Pradesh 2. Kerala 3. Himachal Pradesh 4. Tripura. How many of the above are generally known as tea-producing States?
- (a) Only one State
- (b) Only two States
- (c) Only three States
- (d) All four States
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: (d) All four States
AP (Araku valley), Kerala (Munnar, Wayanad), Himachal (Kangra) and Tripura all grow tea.
The idea
Assam and West Bengal grow most of India’s tea, then Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Smaller tea areas: Kangra (HP), Tripura, Araku (AP), Uttarakhand, Sikkim.
Why the others are wrong
(a) Keeps only Kerala (Munnar) — thinking of tea as a south-Indian hill crop. Tea grows wherever there is acidic, well-drained hill soil and good rain, including Kangra and Tripura.
(b) Stops at the famous gardens. Tripura (tea is its main plantation crop) and Himachal’s Kangra valley are Tea Board-listed growers too.
(c) People usually drop Andhra Pradesh or Himachal — both grow tea.
The trap
Himachal and Andhra are not “tea States” in most minds. UPSC asked whether they are KNOWN tea producers — and both have tea-board-listed gardens.
🔒 Tea: Assam > West Bengal > TN > Kerala; also Kangra, Tripura, Araku, Sikkim. Tea Board = statutory, under Commerce.
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