Question

Which one of the following is not an agro-based industry?
(A) Cement
(B) Jute
(C) Cotton
(D) Sugar

Answer 1

Hint: Agro-based industries are those that use agricultural produce as a raw material. These are industries that rely on consumers. Cotton, jute, silk, woollen textiles, sugar, and edible oil, among other industries, rely on agricultural raw materials.

Complete answer:
Cement: Cement is not an agro-based industry. The cement industry is the foundation of the country's construction industry. Few construction projects can be completed without the use of cement at some point in the design. As the cement industry does not use any agricultural raw materials so, it is a non-agro-based industry.

Jute: In India, jute is an agro-based industry. India is the world's largest producer of raw jute and jute goods, and it ranks second in terms of exports only to Bangladesh. In India, there are approximately 70 jute mills. The majority of these are in West Bengal, primarily along the banks of the Hugli River in a narrow belt (98 km long and 3 km wide).

Cotton: cotton is an agro-based industry. Cotton textiles were made by hand in ancient India using hand spinning and handloom weaving techniques. Power looms became popular after the 18th century. During the colonial period, our traditional industries suffered a setback because they couldn't compete with mill-made cloth from England. The country now has nearly 1600 cotton and man-made fiber textile mills.

Sugar: After cotton textiles, the sugar industry is India's second-largest organized industry. After Brazil, India is the world's second-largest producer of sugarcane.

By-Products and Products: Sugarcane is a valuable cash crop that is crushed in factories to produce sugar. A significant amount is also used to produce our (jaggery) and Khansari. Molasses and bagasse and press mud are also supplied by the sugar industry.

Thus, the answer is option A i.e, Cement.

Note: Sugar production in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar alone accounts for 70% of total production. As a result, this belt is known as the "Sugar Bowl of India." The other sugar-producing states in India are Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. The leading cotton textile manufacturing states are Maharashtra and Gujarat. Mumbai and Ahmedabad account for roughly half of the total installed looms and nearly half of India's cotton mill cloth.