RAS question
Which of the following crops is known as 'Golden Fibre'?
Correct answer: (D) Jute.
Jute is known as the Golden Fibre because of its golden colour, high value, versatility and eco-friendly properties.
Explanation
Jute is the crop referred to as the Golden Fibre. The name comes from its golden colour, high value, and importance as a Kharif crop grown in the alluvial soil of the Ganga-Brahmaputra delta, with India as the world's largest producer and West Bengal as the leading jute-producing state. Press Information Bureau, Government of India, Ministry of Textiles also uses the term directly, describing jute as popularly known as the Golden Fibre because of its versatility and eco-friendly properties. The nickname connects the crop's physical appearance, economic use and policy relevance in packaging and jute-product promotion.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Silk is a fibre of animal origin, so it is not the crop traditionally known in economy and agriculture as the Golden Fibre.
- (B) Hemp is a fibre crop, but the Golden Fibre name applies to jute, not hemp.
- (C) Cotton is excluded because cotton has the separate nickname White Gold, while Golden Fibre refers to jute.
Concept
Agricultural nicknames often connect directly with the economic geography of commercial crops. Jute is important in RAS preparation because it links agriculture, industry, regional production patterns and government policy.