Question 5
Set 4
Contents
QQuestion
OOptions
✓Correct Answer
DDalvoy Solutions
All three fruits were introduced to India by the Portuguese in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries:
I. Papaya: Yes, papaya was brought to India by the Portuguese from Central America/Mexico in the 16th century and became widely cultivated across the subcontinent.
II. Pineapple: Yes, pineapple was introduced by the Portuguese from South America in the 16th-17th centuries and found suitable growing conditions in coastal regions of India.
III. Guava: Yes, guava was also brought by the Portuguese from tropical America in the 16th-17th centuries and adapted well to Indian climatic conditions.
The Portuguese maritime trade networks were instrumental in introducing many New World crops to India, significantly enriching Indian agriculture and cuisine. These fruits became so well integrated that they are now considered part of traditional Indian agriculture.
SUPSC Prelims Strategy and Tips
For crop introduction questions, remember that Portuguese and other European traders introduced many New World crops (from Americas) to India during the Age of Exploration (16th-17th centuries).