In agriculture, a cash crop is a crop which is grown for money. The term is used to differentiate from subsistence crops, which are those fed to the producer's own livestock or grown as food for the producer's family. In earlier times cash crops were usually only a small (but vital) part of a farm's total yield, while today, especially in the developed countries, almost all crops are mainly grown for cash. In non-developed nations, cash crops are usually crops which attract demand in more developed nations, and hence have some export value. For other uses, see Money (disambiguation). ... Like most farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa, this Cameroonian man cultivates at the subsistence level. ...

In many tropical and subtropical areas, jute, coffee, cocoa, sugar cane, bananas, oranges and cotton are common cash crops. In cooler areas, grain crops, oil-yielding crops and some vegetables predominate. The word Jute is also used in reference to the Germanic people, the Jutes. ... For other uses, see Coffee (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Cocoa (disambiguation). ... Species Ref: ITIS 42058 as of 2004-05-05 Sugarcane is one of six species of a tall tropical southeast Asian grass (Family Poaceae) having stout fibrous jointed stalks whose sap at one time was the primary source of sugar. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Binomial name (L.) Osbeck Orange—specifically, sweet orange—refers to the citrus tree Citrus sinensis (syn. ... For other uses, see Cotton (disambiguation). ... Grain redirects here. ...

Prices for major cash crops are set in commodity markets with global scope, with some local variation (called basis) based on freight costs and local supply and demand balance. A consequence of this is that a nation, region, or individual producer relying on such a crop may suffer low prices should a bumper crop elsewhere lead to excess supply on the global markets. This system is criticized by traditional farmers, who make food for themselves. coffee is a major part of this. Issues involving subsidies and trade barriers on such crops have become controversial in discussions of globalization. Many developing nations take the position that the current international trade system is unfair because it has caused tariffs to be lowered in industrial goods while allowing for high tariffs and agricultural subsidies for agricultural goods. This makes it difficult for a developing nation to export its goods overseas, and forces developing nations to compete with imported goods which are exported from developed nations at artificially low prices. The practice of exporting at artificially low prices is known as dumping, and is illegal in most nations. Controversy over this issue led to the collapse of the Cancún trade talks in 2003, when the Group of 22 refused to consider agenda items proposed by the European Union unless the issue of agricultural subsidies were addressed. Chicago Board of Trade Futures market Commodity markets are markets where raw or primary products are exchanged. ... For other uses, see Coffee (disambiguation). ... The rise of multinational corporations and outsourcing have played a crucial part in globalization. ... Tax rates around the world Tax revenue as % of GDP Economic policy Monetary policy Central bank   Money supply Fiscal policy Spending   Deficit   Debt Trade policy Tariff   Trade agreement Finance Financial market Financial market participants Corporate   Personal Public   Banking   Regulation        For other uses of this word, see tariff (disambiguation). ... In economics, dumping can refer to any kind of predatory pricing, and is by most definitions a form of price discrimination. ... Giant Mexican flag in the Hotel Zone Cancún (pronounced as IPA: ) is a coastal city in Mexicos easternmost state, Quintana Roo, on the Yucatán Peninsula. ... G22 countries. ...

Agribusiness, with its high-capital-investment and industrial-scale agricultural practices, very often skews production towards cash crops and away from anything that is consumed locally or which cannot be preserved, shipped and sold abroad. When used in conjunction with practices which seek to maximize crop yield and which favor monoculture, increasing reliance on cash crops tends to have adverse, long term environmental consequences. The prevalence of cash crops also makes ethical consumerism difficult, as production practices cannot easily be determined and removed. In agriculture, agribusiness is a generic term that refers to the various businesses involved in the food production chain, including farming, seed, agrichemicals, farm machinery, wholesaling, processing, distribution, and retail sales. ... Infrastructural capital refers to any physical means of production or means of protection beyond that which can be gathered or found directly in nature, i. ... In agriculture, crop yield (also known as agricultural output) is a measure of the yield per unit area of land under cultivation. ... Monoculture describes systems that have very low diversity. ... Ethical consumerism is buying things that are made ethically. ...

See also

• Anti-globalization movement
• Local purchasing
• Monoculture
• Sustainable agriculture
• Vertical integration

Anti-WEF grafiti in Lausanne. ... Local purchasing is a preference to buy locally produced goods and services. ... Monoculture describes systems that have very low diversity. ... It has been suggested that Small-scale agriculture be merged into this article or section. ... It has been suggested that Vertical expansion be merged into this article or section. ...

References

This article does not cite any references or sources. (January 2007) Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.