Cash crops
Also called: Commercial crops · Topic: Indian Economy on the Eve of Independence · NCERT: Class 11, Ch 1 "Indian Economy on the Eve of Independence"; Class 11, Ch 3 "Liberalisation, Privatisation and Globalisation: An Appraisal"
Meaning
Cash crops are crops grown for sale, not for the farmer's own family to eat. They are also called commercial crops. Under colonial rule, Indian farmers were pushed into cash crops because land revenue had to be paid in cash, moneylenders tied them down and planters used force. The output went to British industries, so the farmers gained very little. Less land was left for food crops, which weakened food security.
Example
Jute, cotton, indigo, sugarcane, opium and tea are cash crops. In Bihar, indigo planters forced peasants to grow indigo. This led to Gandhi's Champaran Satyagraha (1917).
Don't confuse with
- Food crops: these are grown mainly to feed the farmer's family and the country, like rice and wheat. Cash crops are grown to earn money in the market.