[Solved] Medieval Indian Crops | Why Maize was not cultivated

During the 13th and 14th Centuries AD the Indian peasants did not cultivate:

[U.P.P.C.S. Pre 2011]

Detailed Solution & Historical Context

Concept

Agriculture in the Delhi Sultanate was based on traditional crops. Many staples we see today, like maize, potatoes, and tomatoes, were 'New World' crops introduced centuries later.

Authentic Source Evidence

According to agricultural history and NCERT, Maize (corn) is native to Central America. It reached India via the Portuguese in the 15th-16th centuries, following the Columbian Exchange.

Analytical Breakdown

Logic 1: Wheat, Barley, and Rice were the primary 'Kharif' and 'Rabi' staples of the Sultanate era mentioned by chroniclers like Ibn Battuta.

Logic 2: Maize was unknown to Indian peasants in the 13th and 14th centuries as the Americas had not yet been reached by Europeans.

Conceptual Deep Dive & Logic

"Name two other major crops introduced by the Portuguese in India."

Tobacco and Chilies were introduced by the Portuguese in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Examiner's Mindset & Pro-Tip

"The absence of Maize in the 14th century illustrates how global trade networks later fundamentally altered the diet and economy of the Indian subcontinent."

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