Cash+Crops

__Cash Crops__ The term cash crop is used when describing a crop that is being grown primarily for money. It may be used when differentiating between subsistence crops which are crops that are grown in order to feed the producer’s family and livestock. In the past cash crops were only a small portion of a countires total harvest; however primarily due to colonization, developing countries have almost all crops grown for cash. Developing nations use cash crops to attract demand from developed countries; once they have the demand from these countries they are able to apply an export tax. Coffee, oranges, bananas, cocoa, sugar cane and cotton are the most common cash crops out of tropical and subtropical areas. Where as in cooler areas wheat, corn, soybeans and some vegetables are common.

__Effects of colonialism__ During the age of imperialism countries like Africa, Latin America, India, and Southeast Asia having the best agricultural land which was used by the colonial powers to grow cash crops for export. Tea, coffee, cotton, sugar, cocoa, tobacco, palm oil, peanuts and silk were products that were in high demand during this time. Farmers in these colonized countries were encouraged by their colonial rulers to produce these crops for export. Due to the pressure the farmers faced to grow produce that could be sold in the world market, the amount of food grown to maintain the local people declined. In India, because of colonialism, millions of people were forced from their homes, which were located on prime agriculture land. People were relocated to isolated areas incapable of growing crops. The lack of food crops cause millions of people to die of starvation during this time. In some cases the land would get over-used by the farmers, to produce the maximum amount of crops, which would leave the soil damaged and unusable. This is because the soil does not usually produce one plant, there are usually a diversity of plants growing in soil. So when one crop is continuously harvested in the same soil, eventually, if not taken care of properly, the soil becomes damaged.

__Benefits & Problems__ Cash crops create environmental concerns to a country. This is because the focus is on the amount of money, therefore the crop will be harvested as quickly as possible in order to receive the largest profit. Growth chemicals may be used in order to speed up the growth process. These chemicals are then absorbed by the soil causing terrible environmental damages. Farmers who are harvesting cash crops are also no longer self sufficient. Because there crops are not being sold by them independently, they will lose a portion of the profit that is going to the government. During colonial times the colonial power would be receiving a large portion, if not all, of the profit leaving the farmer unable to tend to his farm. There is also a lot of pressure on farmers to create legitimate crops in a short amount of time, and if the farmer does not measure up for some reason like poor weather, they lose buesness. Often there is pressure from the demand to continue the level of supply. This demand does not allow the farmer to rotate what the farm produces. Continual production of the same crop leads to soil demineralization. However, there are benefits to cash crops. Food and products can be grown very quicky and can feed and accommodate a lot of people in a short amount of time. The food is also freshly grown, and not made from a factory.