Question

Which one of the following is the leading producer of spices?
A. Andhra Pradesh
B. Karnataka
C. Kerala
D. Tamil Nadu

Answer 1

Hint: Spices are various parts of plants, for example, roots, seeds, bark, etc that are used to flavour or colour food. Traditionally, India has been referred to as the land of spices because spice trade from the subcontinent dates back to 2000 BCE. After Spanish and Portuguese colonists settled in India and later as the British East India Company was established, spices were one of the main items of trade to Europe. Currently, India is the largest producer and the largest exporter of spices in the world.

Complete answer:
Southern states account for a large portion of the spices produced in India so all the options are valid and can be easily confused with each other. However, because of the quantity and different types of spices produced in India, it is logical to choose the state that has the largest area thus providing more area to grow different spices and in larger quantities. (The figures given below did not take into account the production of the newly separated state Telangana)
Option A: is correct. Andhra Pradesh is the leading producer of spice in India and amounts for an estimated 765 thousand metric tonnes.
Option B: is incorrect. Karnataka trails behind Andhra Pradesh with an estimated 712 thousand metric tonnes of produced spices.
Option C: is incorrect. Kerala produces an estimated 191 thousand metric tonnes of spices.
Option D: is incorrect. Tamil Nadu produces an estimated 172 thousand metric tonnes of spices.

Note: Historically, some spices were also believed to have medicinal properties, others were used as cosmetics or for perfuming and incensing. Because they were rare and exotic during the early and medieval times, they were expensive and their possession was also a symbol of wealth and status.