Question

Name one important beverage crop and specify the geographical conditions required for its growth.

Answer 1

Tea is an important beverage crop.

• Tea bushes require a frost-free climate, moist and warm climate, all through the year.

The tea plant grows well in soil rich in organic matter, rich in humus, and well-drained soil which is fertile.

Tea is grown in tropical and subtropical climatic conditions.

• Continuous growth of tender leaves is ensured by frequent showers evenly distributed over the year.
• To restore its freshness, tea is processed within the tea garden.
• Today, most of the tea plantations are owned by Indians.
• It is an important beverage crop introduced in India initially by the British.
• Tea cultivation is an example of plantation agriculture.
• Tea industry requires skilled labour, and cheap labour which is abundantly available. It is a labour intensive industry.
• In 2008 India was the third largest producer of tea after China and Turkey.
• Major tea producing states are Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Assam, hills of Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling districts of West Bengal.
• Apart from these, Tripura, Andhra Pradesh, Meghalaya, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, are also tea-producing states in the country.

Coffee

Coffee is another important beverage crop grown in India.

• Initially its cultivation was introduced on the Baba Budan Hills and even today its cultivation is confined to the Nilgiri in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
• Indian coffee is known in the world for its good quality.
• The Arabica variety initially brought from Yemen is produced in the country.
• This variety is in great demand all over the world.
• In 2008 India produced 3.2 per cent of the world coffee production.