Definition
Cash crops are the crops produced for commercial purposes. These are not used for the personal use of farmers or for animal feed.
Facts of cash crop
- A cash crop is the one that is cultivated to be sold in the market to earn profits from the sale
- Most of the crops grown today worldwide are cash crops cultivated for selling in the national and international markets.
- Most of the cash crops grown in the developing nations are sold to the developed nations for a better price.
- Several cash crops such as opium, cannabis, poppies, coca are sold in the black market.
Few cash crops in India
- Cotton: It is one of the widely grown cash crops in India and grows well in the regions with high temperature and light rainfall.
- Jute: It is the most important cash crop in India and is also known as “golden fibre”. It requires high temperature and heavy rainfall for proper growth.
- Sugarcane: It is a tropical as well as a sub-tropical crop and thrives well in hot and humid climate.
- Tobacco: Tobacco is mainly produced in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka. Nicotiana tabacum and Nicotiana rustics are the important varieties of tobacco.
- Oilseeds: India is the largest producer of oilseeds in the world. Coconut, linseed, castor seed, sunflower and mustard seeds are the important oilseeds grown in India.
