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?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (b) 3, 4 and 5
UPSC's key marks statements 3, 4 and 5 correct, while 1 and 2 are wrong: moringa is a deciduous tree of its own family, not a legume, and tamarind is not endemic to South Asia, having originated in Madagascar (Spices Board).
- ✗ 1. Moringa (Moringa oleifera) is a small deciduous tree of the family Moringaceae, so it is neither a legume nor evergreen.
- ✗ 2. The Spices Board says tamarind originated in Madagascar and is now cultivated widely in India and other countries, so it is not endemic to South Asia.
- ✓ 3. Tamarind, with seeds and de-seeded, is on the Ministry of Tribal Affairs' list of minor forest produce with a minimum support price, the gathering of which is a livelihood for tribal collectors.
- ✓ 4. UPSC's official key treats this statement as correct; we could not confirm the detail from an official source, so we do not explain it here.
- ✓ 5. UPSC's official key treats this statement as correct; we could not confirm the detail from an official source, so we do not explain it here.
Remember · Moringa is a deciduous Moringaceae tree, not a legume; tamarind originated in Madagascar and is a listed minor forest produce with an MSP.
Sources
- Encyclopaedia Britannica: Moringa ↗ · reference work “small deciduous tree (family Moringaceae) native to tropical Asia but also naturalized in Africa and tropical America.”
- Spices Board India (Ministry of Commerce and Industry): Tamarind ↗ · reference work “Tamarind is originated in Madagascar and is now extensively cultivated in India, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, several African, Central American and South American countries.”
- Ministry of Tribal Affairs: Guidelines for marketing of Minor Forest Produce through MSP (MFP rate list) ↗ “Tamarind (with seeds) (Tamarindus indica) 22 22 22 22 18 18 31 31 72.2% 2 Wild Honey 132 132”
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2021, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 1 Oct 2026 (how we verify). ·