RAS question
Which crop is known as 'Golden Fibre'?
Correct answer: (B) Jute.
Jute is known as the Golden Fibre because of its golden-brown colour and high economic value.
Explanation
Jute is the crop known as the Golden Fibre. The standard reason is its golden-brown fibre and its high economic value. In its ICAR-CRIJAF Kisan Diwas report, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research said farmers were urged to grow jute in a big way to re-establish the crop as the Golden Fibre. India and Bangladesh together produce over 90% of the world's jute, with major Indian regions including West Bengal, Bihar and Assam. ICAR further frames jute as a natural fibre crop with economic and environmental benefits, which explains why this nickname is not merely descriptive but also linked to its agricultural importance.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Cotton is a major fibre crop, but it is identified with White Gold rather than Golden Fibre.
- (C) Silk is a valuable fibre, but it is identified as the Queen of Fibres, not Golden Fibre.
- (D) Hemp is a fibre crop, but the Golden Fibre nickname is not attached to it.
Concept
This tests agricultural geography through crop nicknames and their economic associations. It recurs in RAS because such questions connect crops with regions, value, and standard exam terminology.