Which of the following states is the largest producer of cardamom and pepper in India?

The correct answer is C) Kerala. Kerala is the largest producer of both cardamom and black pepper in India, and this has held steadily for decades.

The core concept is the Western Ghats agro-climate. Cardamom needs cool, humid, shaded hill slopes, and the Cardamom Hills in Idukki district are its home. Pepper is a shade-loving climber that does well in Wayanad, Idukki, Kozhikode and Kottayam. Kerala's cardamom share is roughly 80 to 90 per cent of national output.

• Tamil Nadu (A): It grows cardamom in the Theni and Bodi hills, but its output is well below Kerala's. It is not the top producer of either crop.
• Goa (B): Goa is known for cashew, coconut and feni. It is not a significant producer of cardamom or pepper.
• Maharashtra (D): Its agriculture is dominated by sugarcane, cotton, soybean and pulses. It does not figure among the top spice producers.

For Mains, this links to plantation crops, the role of the Spices Board under the Ministry of Commerce, and GI tags such as Alleppey Green Cardamom. Those ideas are useful in answers on agricultural export and farmer income.

Trap: Aspirants sometimes pick Tamil Nadu because it appears in cardamom discussions, or Karnataka because it is a major pepper grower. Kerala remains the top producer of both crops, so the answer is still C.