UPSC Prelims 2021 Q63: Moringa and Tamarind — Explained
Consider the following statements:
1. Moringa (drumstick tree) is a leguminous evergreen tree.
2. Tamarind tree is endemic to South Asia.
3. In India, most of the tamarind is collected as minor forest produce.
4. India exports tamarind and seeds of moringa.
5. Seeds of moringa and tamarind can be used in the production of biofuels.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
- 1, 2, 4 and 5
- 3, 4 and 5
- 1, 3 and 4
- 1, 2, 3 and 5
Answer: (b) 3, 4 and 5
Statement-wise explanation
- 1: incorrect — Moringa oleifera is the only genus in its own family, Moringaceae, which sits in the order Brassicales with the mustard and cabbage families. It is not a legume (family Fabaceae). It is also not a true evergreen. In dry areas it sheds its leaves, so it is best described as a fast-growing, drought-hardy tree that can be deciduous. Either error makes the statement wrong.
- 2: incorrect — Tamarind (Tamarindus indica) is native to tropical Africa. It was probably domesticated in the dry Sudanian savanna belt, and it still grows wild in Sudan, Cameroon, Nigeria, Kenya and Tanzania. It has been grown in India for centuries and has naturalised here, but it is not native, let alone endemic. The species name 'indica' misleads many aspirants.
- 3: correct — In India, most tamarind is collected from trees in forests, on village commons and along roadsides, mainly by tribal gatherers. It is not grown in organised orchards. Tamarind is on the Ministry of Tribal Affairs list of Minor Forest Produce (MFP) with a notified Minimum Support Price, at ₹36 per kg for tamarind with seeds in the PMJVM list. In April–June 2021, Chhattisgarh alone procured 1.13 lakh quintals of tamarind at MSP.
- 4: correct — India is a major exporter of tamarind and tamarind products. It also exports moringa seeds, leaves and leaf powder. APEDA, under the Ministry of Commerce, promotes moringa exports. In December 2020 it flagged off a consignment of two tonnes of organic moringa powder to the USA, and Tamil Nadu has set up a Moringa Export Zone centred on Madurai.
- 5: correct — Moringa seeds hold about 35–40% oil (ben oil). Studies have turned this oil into biodiesel with high ester conversion and a high cetane number. Tamarind seed kernels also yield an oil, and both seeds have been studied as non-edible feedstocks for biofuel. So 'can be used' holds for both.
How to eliminate
Statement 2 is the easiest one to rule out. 'Endemic' means a species is found naturally only in one region, and tamarind grows across the tropics from Africa to Australia. If you also know it came from Africa, statement 2 is clearly wrong. That removes the two options that include it, leaving only '3, 4 and 5' and '1, 3 and 4'. Both remaining options contain 3 and 4, so you only need to decide between statement 1 and statement 5. Statement 5 is a soft 'can be used' claim. Almost any oil-bearing seed can be made into biodiesel, and moringa oil is a known feedstock. Statement 1 makes two hard claims at once, 'leguminous' and 'evergreen', so it has two ways to be wrong. Remember that moringa has its own family, Moringaceae, and is not in Fabaceae. That settles it. Wording to watch: 'endemic' and 'leguminous' are precise botanical terms, and UPSC uses them as traps.
Know more
Moringa and tamarind: two trees UPSC likes to confuse
| Feature | Moringa (drumstick) | Tamarind (imli) |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Moringa oleifera | Tamarindus indica |
| Family | Moringaceae (order Brassicales), not a legume | Fabaceae (legume family) |
| Native range | Sub-Himalayan foothills of north-west India | Tropical Africa (Sudanian savanna) |
| Habit | Fast-growing, drought-hardy, can be deciduous | Long-lived, slow-growing evergreen |
| How India gets it | Mostly cultivated (Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka) | Mostly gathered as Minor Forest Produce |
| Seed uses | Ben oil (cosmetics, lubricant, biodiesel), water purification | Kernel powder for textile sizing and gums, seed oil, pectin |
The trap in the names. Tamarind is a legume but sounds foreign. indica in its name does not mean it is native to India. Moringa is native to India but is not a legume. Questions often swap these traits between the two trees.
Minor Forest Produce (MFP). Section 2(i) of the Forest Rights Act, 2006 defines MFP as all non-timber forest produce of plant origin, such as bamboo, tendu leaves, honey, lac, medicinal plants and tubers. Section 3(1)(c) gives forest dwellers ownership of MFP. The 'MSP for MFP' scheme was later folded into the Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Vikas Mission (PMJVM). Under it, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs notifies minimum prices for items such as tamarind, mahua, sal seed and chironji, with TRIFED as the nodal agency. The list was expanded in May 2020 to support tribal gatherers during COVID-19.
Biofuel feedstocks. India's biofuel policy prefers non-edible oilseeds that grow on wasteland, such as jatropha, karanja (pongamia), neem and mahua. Moringa seeds, with about 38% oil, are a studied candidate.
In the news
In May 2020 the Ministry of Tribal Affairs revised the MSP for Minor Forest Produce, and tamarind was among the items covered. In December 2020, APEDA flagged off India's organic moringa powder exports to the USA. Both stories were in the news in the run-up to the 2021 Prelims.