Correct option is A
The correct answer is (a) Kerala
Kerala is the largest producer of natural rubber in India, contributing more than 75% of the country’s total rubber production.
The state’s tropical climate and high rainfall provide ideal conditions for rubber cultivation.
Rubber Plantations in Kerala:
- Major districts: Kottayam, Pathanamthitta, and Ernakulam.
- Other important producers are Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Additional Information:
- Rubber is made from the latex of a tree called Hevea Brasiliensis.
- The British established the first rubber plantation in India in 1902 on the banks of the river Periyar in Kerala.
- The rubber tree is a fast-growing tall tree acquiring a height of about 20 to 30 meters.
- Rubber trees need a hot and humid climate with temperatures ranging between 25°C and 35°C and an annual rainfall of about 300 cm.
- Deep, rich, and well-drained loamy soil, at an elevation of about 400 meters above sea level, provides ideal conditions for the growth of rubber trees.