PDE Q4

The correct answer is:

D — high yield and high sugar content in sugarcane.

• The sugar industry in India was traditionally concentrated in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in the north, where sugarcane was widely grown.

• However, over time, the industry has increasingly shifted toward southern states like Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu.

• The main reason is that sugarcane varieties grown in the south have a higher sucrose (sugar) content, and the climate (longer crushing season, less frost risk) is more favorable, giving higher yields and better recovery of sugar from cane.

• Additionally, southern states have better irrigation facilities and more reliable monsoon patterns, which support stable sugarcane production.

Other options do not fully explain the shift:

• Cheap labor is available in both regions

• Expanding markets exist in many parts of India

• Power availability alone is not the primary driver