What are Keralam’s most important cash crops?

Keralam’s economy relies significantly on commercial agriculture, with a variety of cash crops cultivated across the state. The principal cash crops include:

• Plantation crops: Rubber, coffee, and tea, which are primarily grown on the slopes of the foothills.12
• Spices and nuts: Cardamom, pepper, cashew nut, ginger, and areca nut (betel nut).12
• Other key crops: Coconut, which is widely cultivated across the region.123

These commercial plantings occupy less than half of the total cultivated land but are vital for earning foreign exchange, often necessitating the importation of food crops for local consumption.1