Cash crops are mainly grown for selling purposes. Here, I will share 4 of those most popular and profitable cash crops.
What are cash crops?
Let us start from the definition. Cash crops are crops grown for a cash income rather than for growing the crop. Cash crops include coffee, cocoa, cotton, pineapple, corn, tobacco, and others. These crops are: Preferably weather and soil conditions that favor their growth. They are in high demand globally. They are either for food production or industrial purposes. They are perennial crops with continuous crop generation. They are categorized as agricultural commodities or industrial products. These cash crops, as I mentioned earlier, are lucrative for small farmers because they are either sold at low prices or sold to foreign markets and exported.
Wheat
The farm most popularly used for production of cash crops is wheat. When its seeds get fit and ready, it is harvested and ready to be sold on the market. Wheat is grown on an area of around 60,000 hectares in Nigeria. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) says wheat seeds get fit once they get dried and fermented after six to 12 days. Then the seed is sown in January and harvested in June. The crop is not harvested after six months. The time span of maturation is between 16 to 20 months. Potatoes Potatoes are mainly grown for frying, baking, and crisping. The crop’s size determines the amount of tanned products. The crop starts in the September and is harvested at the end of December.
Corn
The crop occupies most part of the total land areas for successful farming. The best yield is from corn by US farmers. Also, it's water proof and lasts longer in the market. In the first decade, it's quite profitable for cash croppers to grow corn. The total investment is about 1.5% and the maximum profit is about 2.5% per acre. That's why, most small farmers in US grow corn. Fruit It is called the fruit of the dry land in Brazil. It's also called Fruit Basket of Brazil. It is also known as custard apple and custard apple. According to popular reports, it's one of the most profitable crops in Brazil. Here, profit is also generated for processing the crop and selling. It is estimated that nearly 10 million tonnes are produced per year from Brazil.
Tea
Myanmar is well known for its tea. When you find yourself standing at the side of road with your cup of tea, be sure to raise your hand with me and smile. Farmers collect the tea leaves and prepare them into tea bag-sized packets. They sell to different companies and pay the value for this product according to the price it sells for in the market. They can make a profit of around $3.5 to $10 per packet depending on how much tea is produced on the farm. Apart from tea, the country also produces other tea varieties. This example is from itchy bird (orcheda) tea: I find this plant has beautiful golden flowers and glossy green leaves. It’s best grown in sandy soils or with good drainage. It grows slowly and can yield around 60kgs of tea in a season.
Sugarcane
This is the most popular cash crop for a small farm. It is easy to grow, relatively cheap to maintain and the biggest cash crop is producing electricity. Unfortunately, one of the biggest problems in Thailand is the high price of diesel which costs more than Thailand's national annual budget and also its primary export. That is why Thailand have been using electricity to produce electricity, instead of natural gas or even oil. It is a smart move because it gives energy to the grid, which would give everyone access to it. Many other countries would be surprised to know that they are looking into buying energy generated from sugarcane and other sources like sugar beets, beet pulp, molasses and bagasse.
Conclusion
In conclusion, no farm business will be profitable without adequate insurance. This is another critical reason why you should consider enrolling in a farm business insurance plan from a leading provider in the US. Let me know what you think of these 4 cash crop farming tips and share with us your thoughts on the same. As always, I wish you success in your farming endeavors and beyond. Please Share Your Experience, comments, and questions below.