Question

The following images are related to agricultural activities. Identify and write whether they are practised in Brazil or India.

Answer 1

The first images depict the coffee plantations. This is practised in both India and Brazil. Brazil is the world's largest producer of coffee seeds. India is also ranked in the 7^th position in the production and export of coffee beans. Coffee is a tropical plant that grows in the hot and humid regions. It is generally cultivated on the hill slopes. In Brazil, it is produced mainly in the southeastern states of Minas Gerais, Sao Paulo, Parana and other places. In India, it is mainly produced in the southern states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. 

The second image depicts tea gardens. This is majorly found in India. India is the 2^nd largest producer of tea leaves in the world. The production of tea is negligible in Brazil. Tea is an important cash crop grown both in the tropical and the sub-tropical regions. A hot, humid and moist condition is required for the excellent growth of the crop. It requires a temperature of 21 ̊ and an average rainfall of 150 cm. Since the shrub requires a cooler, rainy and tropical climate for its growth, it is majorly cultivated in the hilly regions. It gives the best yield in the well-drained fertile soil that is rich in nutrients. In India, it is mainly cultivated in the north-eastern states of Assam, Sikkim, Nagaland, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and the hilly regions of the southern states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

The third image depicts slash and burns cultivation. It is also called shifting cultivation whereby a piece of land is cultivated for a period of time until its fertility is depleted. The initial land is abandoned and another land area cleared is set on fire to make it the next cultivation spot. This is mainly found in the African and South American countries like Brazil. Earlier this was practised in India too, but now it is not common in the country.

The fourth image depicts the cultivation of paddy. It is found in both Brazil and India. Rice is the staple diet crop especially for the regions surrounding the tropical areas of the world. A hot, humid and moist condition is required for the excellent growth of the crop. It gives the best yield in the alluvial soil that has rich nutrients because of the deposition by the flow of rivers and water bodies over time. It results in the formation of river beds and ensures the development of smooth and fertile soil ideal for cultivation. In Brazil, it is produced mainly in the southern states of Santa Catarina and the Rio Grande do Sul. In India, rice is mainly produced in the states falling in the alluvial best of the Ganga-Brahmaputra river basin and the southern states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.