Q. Following are the characteristics of an area in India:

1. Hot and humid climate
2. Annual rainfall 200 cm
3. Hill slopes up to an altitude of 1100 metres
4. Annual range of temperature 15°C to 30°C

Which one among the following crops are you most likely to find in the area described above? (UPSC Prelims 2010)
Answer: Pepper
Notes: Black pepper (Piper nigrum), a major spice crop, thrives in hot, humid conditions with 200-250 cm rainfall, on hill slopes up to 1500 m, and temperatures of 15-30°C, matching the description exactly. It is commercially grown in India's Western Ghats (Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu). Mustard requires dry, cold winters; cotton needs hot, moderate rain in plains; Virginia tobacco prefers well-drained, rain-shadow areas. These conditions describe Kerala’s midland hills, a key pepper region.