2017 · Q1
Statement IPlantation farming has mostly been practiced in humid tropics.
Statement IIThe soil of humid tropics is highly fertile.
indian-world-geographyindia-soils-agriculture
- ABoth the statements are individually true and Statement II is the correct explanation of Statement I
- BBoth the statements are individually true but Statement II is NOT the correct explanation of Statement I
- CStatement I is true but Statement II is false
- DStatement I is false but Statement II is true
Explanation
Statement I is true: plantation crops such as tea, coffee, rubber, cocoa and sugarcane are overwhelmingly grown in the humid tropics – for example tea in Assam and Sri Lanka, rubber in Kerala and Malaysia. Statement II is false: humid-tropic soils are typically leached, acidic laterites, poor in nutrients because heavy rainfall washes soluble minerals away; they are not naturally highly fertile. Plantations succeed through capital, scientific management, drainage and fertilisers, not through inherent soil fertility. Hence Statement I is true and Statement II is false, giving option (C).