Agriculture — IV: Cash Crops (2)

ICSE Class 10 · Geography · Chapter 15

What this chapter covers

Fibre and beverage crops
Cotton: climatic conditions and soil requirements
Cotton: methods of cultivation
Cotton: distribution
Jute: climatic conditions and soil requirements
Jute: methods of cultivation
Jute: distribution
Tea: climatic conditions and soil requirements
Tea: methods of cultivation
Tea: distribution
Comparing cotton, jute and tea
Common mistakes to avoid

Key points

Cotton and jute are fibre crops; tea is a beverage and plantation crop. All three are cash crops grown mainly for sale to industries and markets.
Cotton needs 21 °C to 30 °C, 210 frost-free days, 50 cm to 100 cm of rain, bright sunshine and dry weather at picking.
Black soil (regur) is ideal for cotton because it holds moisture; cotton also grows on irrigated alluvial soils in the north-west.
Cotton is sown in April–May (irrigated north) or June–July (rain-fed Deccan), picked by hand in several rounds and ginned to separate lint from seed.
Cotton is classified by staple length into long, medium and short staple.
Gujarat and Maharashtra lead in cotton, followed by Telangana, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Haryana, Punjab and Madhya Pradesh.
Jute needs 24 °C to 35 °C, 150 cm to 250 cm of rain, 80 to 90 per cent humidity and new alluvium renewed by floods.
Jute is sown in February–May, cut at flowering in July–September, retted in water for two to three weeks, stripped, washed and dried.
West Bengal grows about three-fourths of India's jute; Bihar, Assam and Odisha are other producers.
Tea needs 20 °C to 30 °C, 150 cm to 300 cm of well-distributed rain, well-drained slopes and deep, acidic soil rich in humus and iron.
Tea is raised in nurseries, planted on slopes with shade trees, pruned into a low bush and plucked by hand as two leaves and a bud.
Tea is processed on the estate by withering, rolling, fermentation, drying and grading.
Assam produces about half of India's tea; West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala are the other main producers.

Questions answered

Define a fibre crop and name two fibre crops grown in India.

A fibre crop is a crop grown for the fibres in its seed, stem or leaves, which are made into yarn, rope or cloth. Cotton and jute are the two main fibre crops of India.

State the temperature, rainfall and frost-free period needed for cotton.

Cotton needs 21 °C to 30 °C, 50 cm to 100 cm of rainfall, and at least 210 frost-free days.

Why is black soil ideal for cotton?

Black soil holds moisture for a long time, so cotton can be grown without irrigation even after the rains stop, and it is rich in lime, magnesium and potash, which the crop needs.

Why is dry, sunny weather needed when cotton is being picked?

Rain at picking stains and wets the open bolls, making the fibre dirty and lowering its quality; sunshine keeps the fibre dry and white.

What is ginning?

Ginning is the process of separating cotton lint from the seeds, done by machines in ginning factories.

Name the three classes of cotton based on staple length and give the length of each.

Long staple, more than 24 mm; medium staple, 20 mm to 24 mm; short staple, less than 20 mm.

Name four major cotton-producing states of India.

Gujarat, Maharashtra, Telangana and Rajasthan (also Karnataka, Haryana, Punjab and Madhya Pradesh).

State the climatic conditions required for jute.

Jute needs high temperatures of 24 °C to 35 °C, heavy rainfall of 150 cm to 250 cm, and relative humidity of 80 to 90 per cent.

Past board exam questions

ICSE 2027 sample paper · 1 mark

Bhanu cultivates jute in the state that leads in the production of this crop. Which state does he work in?

Karnataka
West Bengal
Andhra Pradesh
Gujarat

Show answer

West Bengal

ICSE 2027 sample paper · 3 marks

With reference to the cultivation of cash crops, answer the following questions: (a) Name the crop that predominantly grows in the hilly regions of West Bengal. (b) Give two climatic conditions present in this state that favours the cultivation of the crop mentioned in (a). (c) Which other state of India is noted as the leading producer of the crop mentioned in (a)?

Show answer

(a) Tea. (b) Any two: temperature of about 10 °C–35 °C; heavy rainfall of 150–250 cm well distributed through the year; (also: sloping, well-drained land at 900–2000 m; deep loamy soil rich in humus/nitrogen; shade trees). (c) Assam.

ICSE 2026 sample paper · 1 mark

Which crop is associated with Retting?

Sugarcane
Jute
Rice
Cotton

Show answer

Jute

ICSE 2026 sample paper · 3 marks

With reference to cultivation of coffee, answer the following: (a) Name a state that leads in the production of coffee in India. (b) Give two geographical conditions present in this state that make it the leading producer. (c) Other than coffee, name a crop that can also be raised in plantations.

Show answer

(a) Karnataka. (b) Any two: temperature of 15 °C to 28 °C; rainfall of 150–250 cm; well-drained hill slopes of the Western Ghats; shade trees, as coffee is sensitive to direct sunlight; rich loamy soil. (c) Tea (also rubber).

ICSE 2026 board paper · 2 marks

(a) Name a state that leads in the production of jute. (b) Mention a geographical factor that is responsible for the state mentioned in (a) above being the leading producer of jute.

Show answer

(a) West Bengal. (b) The Ganga-Brahmaputra delta has fertile alluvial soil renewed every year by flood silt, with a hot, humid climate and heavy rainfall (over 150 cm) and plenty of soft water for retting.

ICSE 2026 board paper · 3 marks

(a) Why are Silver Oak trees and Cardamom trees planted in coffee plantations along with the coffee plants? (b) State two climatic conditions that favour the cultivation of coffee.

Show answer

(a) Coffee plants cannot bear direct, strong sunlight, so taller trees like silver oak are planted to give them shade; cardamom also grows under shade and gives the planter an additional income. (b) 1. A hot and humid climate with temperatures between about 15°C and 28°C, free from frost. 2. Rainfall of about 150-250 cm, well distributed, with dry weather at the time of ripening.

ICSE 2025 board paper · 1 mark

A microbiological process that loosens the bark of a crop and facilitates removal of fibre from the stalk:

Rolling
Ratooning
Retting
Fermentation

Show answer

Retting

ICSE 2025 sample paper · 3 marks

Rohan, a farmer, hired some labourers to help him with 'GINNING'. (a) Name the crop grown by Rohan. (b) Mention any two climatic conditions suitable for this crop.

Show answer

(a) Cotton. (b) Temperature between 20 °C and 32 °C (high temperature); rainfall of 50 to 120 cm (moderate) — and at least 200 frost-free days with bright sunshine. (Any two)