Page 2 - SLRC-std 8-Geog-Chap-4-Agriculture-Subtopic-3Major Crops-LN

4. Maize
1. is commonly referred to as corn
2. needs well drained and fertile soil to grow
3. requires moderate temperature, moderate rainfall and
abundance of sunshine
4. The major producers of maize in the world are North America,
Brazil, China, Russia, Mexico, India, Canada and South Africa.

❖ Beverage Crops – like tea and coffee
1. Tea
1. is grown in plantations
2. requires cool and humid climate to grow with well-distributed high
rainfall throughout the year and well-drained loamy soil
3. is grown on slopes to ensures that water does not clog.
4. China, India, Kenya and Sri Lanka are known to produce the finest tea
in the world.
5. Darjeeling tea is recognized by consumers all over the world for its
unique flavour and quality.
2. Coffee
1. grows well in well-drained loamy soil and hilly slopes
2. needs warm and wet climate like in subtropical regions
3. Brazil is the world leader in the production of coffee, followed by
Columbia and India.

3. Fibre Crops - grown for agro-based industries – like Jute and cotton

4. Cotton
1. is the main raw material for the cotton textile industry
2. requires high temperatures light rainfall and plenty of sunlight with 210
frost-free days
3. grows best on black soil and alluvial soil
4. In India, cotton is mostly grown in parts of the Deccan Plateau.
5. Apart from Indian the leading producers of cotton in the world are China,
The USA, Pakistan, Brazil and Egypt.
5. Jute
1. is also known as the Golden Fibre
2. is grown in the tropical areas
3. requires high temperature, plain alluvial soil, plenty of rainfall and a
humid climate to grow
4. India and Bangladesh are the leading producers of jute.