Often, people think that cash crops are some kind of seasonal food crops when they heard the name, and some think cash crops are non-food crops or those crops which produce money like leaves, etc.
If you are thinking that cash crops are just money-making crops then you are about to right track.
Some people can't differentiate between food crops and cash crops. So let's understand what are they and how they are different from each other?
Difference between food crops and cash crops
1. Fundamental difference
Almost every food crop is a cash crop but every cash crop is not a food crop.
The above statement means that food crops can commercialize in the market in exchange for money but there are many non-food crops like cotton, cocoa, sugarcane, etc. those are not food crops that are also part of cash crops.
2. Economical prospects
Food crops are the major portion of the agricultural economy that start contribution from season to season. But some cash crops can contribute to the economy for the whole year continuously.
3. Reach and availability in the market
Food crops have local state markets but every non-food kind of crop doesn't have a particular local market(some non-food crops have).
Once, food crops are available in the market, their local cost doesn't increase by more than non-food cash crops.
4. The difference in tax and relaxation
State tax and international tax percentage values are different on cash crops and food crops.
On food crops, the states don't implement extra tax but in the case of non-food cash crops, tax can vary according to their market value.
Internationally, national governments prefer to apply smaller taxes in comparison to non-food cash crops, and also it can vary sometimes.
5. Storage of food crops and non-food crops
Once, non-food cash crops get refined and ready in factories, they can store for at least 2 to 10 years. But the food crops only can store for a season or a maximum of 1 year sometimes. But they are certainly, best to use as much as fresh.
6. Method of agriculture
For seasonal food crops, farmers can apply modern methods to a limit but in the case of non-food cash crops, there are some popular developing methods. These methods are developing year by year and provide help to grow non-food cash crops.
Seasonal food crops can adopt mixed farming methods, organic compost, and few other machines for plowing and harvesting but methods are not developed for food crops on the fundamental basis as much as cash crops have.
the fundamental basis as much as cash crops have.
7. Form of consumption or use
Food crops like vegetables and fruits can consume raw directly, non-food cash crops only can use by refining, redesigning, and by making in factories.
8. Daily life importance and value
Food crops are part of our daily life as we consume them to live and cash crops like cotton, flowers, cocoa, sugar, tea, bamboo help in daily life to get refreshment, comfort, joy, relax and roof.
Cash crops are not primarily important as food crops are fundamentally, but cash crops are still our second most important need in daily life.
#Some similarities between food crops and cash crops
- Food crops are the subset of cash crops.
- Both food crops and non-food crops contribute to the market economy.
- These crops can be seasonal, yearly, and sustain for a certain climate.
- These two are directly related to our daily life either it is a question of food or a question of the daily need for comfort.
- Food and cash both kinds of crops can store for a period.