The staple commodities of export by the English East India Company from Bengal in the middle of the 18th century were:
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2018 Prelims]
(a) Raw cotton, oil-seeds and opium
(b) Sugar, salt, zinc and lead
(c) Copper, silver, gold, spices and tea
(d) Cotton, silk, saltpetre and opium
Answer: (d)
Explanation:
Staples of Bengal’s export in the 18th century
- Opium, a major export commodity from Bengal, found a ready market in China.
- Apart from opium, Bengal also supplied rice, butter, vegetable oils, and saltpetre.
- Saltpetre, abundantly produced in the Patna district, was another staple export.
- Cotton and silk were also among the staple commodities exported by the English East India Company from Bengal in the mid-18th century.
Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.
