Question

Classify industry based on inputs.

Answer 1

On the basis of the raw materials used, the industries are classified as:

1. Agro-based Industries:
   Agro-processing involves the processing of raw materials from the field and the farm into finished products for rural and urban markets. Major agro-processing industries are food processing, sugar, pickles, fruits juices, beverages (tea, coffee and cocoa), spices and oils fats and textiles (cotton, jute, silk), rubber, etc. Food and Agro-processing include canning, producing cream, fruit processing and confectionery. While some preserving techniques, such as drying, fermenting and pickling, have been known since ancient times, these had limited applications to cater to the pre-industrial Revolution demands.
   
2. Mineral-based Industries:
   These industries use minerals as raw materials. Some industries use ferrous metallic minerals which contain ferrous (iron), such as iron and steel industries but some use non-ferrous metallic minerals, such as aluminium, copper and jewellery industries. Many industries use non-metallic minerals such as cement and pottery industries.
   
3. Chemical-based Industries:
   Such industries use natural chemical minerals, e.g. mineral-oil (petroleum) is used in the petrochemical industry. Salts, sulphur and potash industries also use natural minerals. Chemical industries are also based on raw materials obtained from wood and coal. Synthetic fibre, plastic, etc. are other examples of chemical-based industries.
   
4. Forest-based raw Material using Industries:
   The forests provide many major and minor products which are used as raw materials. Timber for the furniture industry, wood, bamboo and grass for the paper industry, lac for lac industries come from forests.
   
5. Animal-based Industries:
   Leather for the leather industry and wool for woollen textiles are obtained from animals. Besides, ivory is also obtained from elephant’s tusks.