What is meant by commercialisation of agriculture? Explain its effects on Indian peasants.

1. 1 · Define it. Commercialisation means growing crops for the market; the British pushed tea, coffee, indigo, opium, cotton, jute, sugarcane and oilseeds.
2. 2 · Opium. Opium was sold to China to pay for Britain's tea, and British traders kept the profit.
3. 3 · Indigo. Farmers were forced to grow indigo on 3/20th of their land on British terms, and it left the soil infertile.
4. 4 · Land and middlemen. Land changed hands faster, landless labourers grew in number, and middlemen exploited peasants at harvest.
5. 5 · Food and famine. Food grain output fell, so famines grew and peasants revolted.
6. 6 · Close in one line. So commercialisation served British industry and trade, not the Indian peasant.

Scoring tip: Name at least four cash crops, then give one effect per point. Write 3/20th for indigo.