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UPSC Prelims 2005 · Indian Geography · Industries, Ports and Transport
Consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- India is the only country in the world producing all the five known commercial varieties of silk.
- India is the largest producer of sugar in the world.
- (a) 1 only
- (b) 2 only
- (c) Both 1 and 2
- (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: (a) 1 only
Only the silk statement is right.
Statement by statement
1. ✓ CORRECT India is the only country producing all five commercial silks: mulberry, tropical tasar, oak tasar, eri and muga.
2. ✗ WRONG Brazil was the largest sugar producer; India was second.
The idea
A crop-product ranking and the range of products a country can make test different ideas. Sugar output varies with the crop year, weather and processing, so use the 2005 comparison here. Silk varieties instead reflect the silkworm species and the plants on which their larvae feed.
Why the others are wrong
(b) Brazil led in sugar.
(c) Brazil led in sugar.
(d) The silk statement is right.
The trap
India is the largest CONSUMER of sugar and at times the top producer — but not in 2005.
Also know
Mulberry silkworms feed on mulberry leaves; tasar includes tropical and oak-feeding forms. Eri is commonly associated with castor, and muga with som and soalu in north-east India. Sugarcane supplies juice for sugar; bagasse is the fibrous residue, while molasses is used to make ethanol. Sugarcane output, sugar output and sugar exports are different rankings.
🔒 Silk: China 1st, India 2nd. Muga (golden silk) is unique to Assam.
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