Question

Which crops were cultivated under the plantation system, often initiated by Europeans in forest and hilly areas?

• A. Wheat, rice, and barley
• B. Coconut, tea, coffee, spices, and rubber
• C. Sugarcane, cotton, and jute
• D. Potatoes, corn, and soybeans

Answer 1

Answer:

B. Coconut, tea, coffee, spices, and rubber

Understanding the Plantation System and its Crops

• The plantation system is a form of large-scale agriculture, typically monoculture, where a single crop is cultivated on extensive estates, often owned by foreign entities or large corporations.
• These systems were primarily initiated by European colonial powers in tropical and subtropical regions across Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
• They often exploited forest and hilly areas due to favorable climatic conditions, fertile soil, and abundant labor.
• A key characteristic was the use of indentured labor or other forms of cheap labor, often leading to significant social and economic disparities.
• The primary objective of these plantations was commercial export, feeding the industries and consumer markets in Europe.

Key Plantation Crops and their Significance:

• Coconut: While indigenous to tropical regions, its cultivation transformed into large-scale plantations for commercial purposes (copra, coir, oil). Kerala is a significant producer, often called the 'Land of Coconuts' (Nalikerathinte Nadu).
• Tea:
  
  • Native to China, tea cultivation was extensively promoted by the British East India Company in India (especially Assam, Darjeeling, and Nilgiris) and Ceylon (Sri Lanka) in the 19th century.
  • It requires high rainfall and well-drained slopes, making hilly regions ideal.
  • India is one of the world's largest producers and consumers of tea.
• Coffee:
  
  • Originally from Ethiopia, coffee was introduced to India by Baba Budan in the 17th century.
  • Large-scale commercial plantations, however, were developed by the British, primarily in the southern states of Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, leveraging their hilly terrains.
  • India is known for its Arabica and Robusta varieties.
• Spices:
  
  • India, particularly Kerala, has historically been a global hub for spices like pepper, cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon.
  • The European quest for spices was a major driving force behind colonial expansion.
  • Plantations were established to ensure a steady and controlled supply for European markets.
• Rubber:
  
  • Indigenous to the Amazon rainforest, rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) was famously introduced to Southeast Asia (especially Malaya, Ceylon, and parts of India like Kerala and Tamil Nadu) by the British in the late 19th century.
  • Henry Wickham is credited with smuggling rubber seeds from Brazil to Kew Gardens, London, from where they were dispersed to Asian colonies.
  • Rubber plantations require a hot, humid, and consistently wet climate.
  • Kerala is the largest producer of natural rubber in India.