Identify the crop with the given statements: 1. An indigenous crop of hills in northern China, it is grown over undulating topography of hilly areas and well drained soils in humid and sub-humid tropics and sub-tropics. 2. Pollarding of shade trees should be done prior to heavy rains at a height of 8-10m from the ground level. 3. India accounts for about 21.1 per cent of its total production in the world. 4. Assam contributes more than half of the total production in the country. Which of the following is correct?

Tea is a plantation crop used as a beverage. Black tea leaves are fermented whereas green tea leaves are unfermented. Tea leaves have a rich content of caffeine and tannin . It is an indigenous crop of hills in northern China. It is grown over undulating topography of hilly areas and well drained soils in humid and sub-humid tropics and sub-tropics. In India, tea plantations started in the 1840s in Brahmaputra valley of Assam which still is a major tea growing area in the country. Later on, its plantation was introduced in the sub-Himalayan region of West Bengal (Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar districts). Tea is also cultivated on the lower slopes of Nilgiri and Cardamom hills in Western Ghats. India is a leading producer of tea and accounts for about 21.1 per cent of total production in the world . India’s share in the international market of tea has declined substantially. It ranks second among tea exporting countries in the world after China. Assam accounts for about 53.2 per cent of the total cropped area and contributes more than half of total production of tea in the country. West Bengal and Tamil Nadu are the other leading producers of tea. Judging by the characteristics given above, Option A is the correct answer.