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Which state is the largest producer of natural rubber in India?
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Answer: Option C — Kerala
Detailed Solution
Kerala is by far the largest producer of natural rubber in India, accounting for roughly 70 per cent or more of the country's production in recent years. The main rubber-growing districts include Kottayam, Pathanamthitta, Ernakulam, Idukki, Kollam and Thrissur.
Why Kerala suits rubber:
- Rubber is an equatorial crop that needs a hot and humid climate throughout the year.
- It requires temperatures above about 25 degrees Celsius and heavy rainfall of more than 200 cm, well distributed through the year.
- Kerala's climate, with two monsoons, and its well-drained laterite and red loamy soils on gentle slopes are ideal.
- Most rubber in Kerala is grown on small holdings rather than large estates.
About natural rubber:
Natural rubber comes from latex, a milky fluid obtained by tapping (making slanting cuts in) the bark of the rubber tree, Hevea brasiliensis.
The tree is native to the Amazon basin of Brazil. In 1876, the British explorer Henry Wickham took seeds from Brazil to Kew Gardens in London, and seedlings were then sent to Sri Lanka, Malaysia and other British colonies.
Rubber was introduced in India in the late 19th century, and the first commercial plantation was set up in Kerala in 1902.
Rubber in India:
India is one of the leading producers of natural rubber in the world and also one of the largest consumers. Thailand and Indonesia are the largest producers.
India imports natural rubber to meet the needs of its tyre industry, which uses most of the rubber consumed.
Tripura is the second largest producer, and rubber cultivation has also expanded in Assam, Meghalaya and other north-eastern states.
Rubber Board:
The Rubber Board, set up under the Rubber Act, 1947, has its headquarters in Kottayam, Kerala. The Rubber Research Institute of India is also in Kottayam.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Tripura is the second largest producer of natural rubber.
- ✗Karnataka produces rubber in its coastal and Western Ghats districts, but much less.
- ✗Assam is a growing producer in the north-east.
Quick tip
Remember: Rubber = Kerala (Kottayam, Rubber Board HQ), then Tripura; tree Hevea brasiliensis, native to Brazil; needs heat and over 200 cm rain.
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Agriculture in India — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Agriculture in India, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers agriculture in India: cropping seasons (kharif, rabi and zaid), major food and cash crops and their leading producer states, irrigation, the Green, White, Blue and other agricultural revolutions, and allied activities such as animal husbandry and fisheries. Questions usually ask which crop belongs to which season, which state is the largest producer of a crop, and which revolution relates to which product. For example, the White Revolution relates to milk and was led by Verghese Kurien, and the Blue Revolution relates to fisheries. Producer rankings can change from year to year, so check the latest data for those questions. Practise the agriculture in India questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.