According to Wikipedia, “The economy of Kerala is predominantly agrarian in nature. In terms of per capita income and production Kerala lags behind many Indian States, but in terms of Human Development Index and the standard of living of the people, Kerala is much ahead of most other states in India. This peculiar paradox often termed as the "Kerala Phenomenon", which is mainly owing to the performance of the state in the service sector.Kerala's economy can be best described as a socialistic welfare economy. owever, Kerala's emphasis on social welfare also resulted in slow economic progress. There are few major industries in Kerala, and the per capita GDP is lower than the national average.
Agriculture is the most important economic activity. Coconut, tea and coffee are grown extensively. Spices commonly cultivated in Kerala include pepper, cardamom, vanilla... Much of Kerala's agriculture is in the form of home gardens.”
