CASH CROPS Essays

CASH CROPS 

Outline:

1. Introduction

2. Important cash crops

3. Importance of cash crops

4. How to enhance its production

Admittedly, Pakistan is an agriculture based country and '72 percent of its population is associated with it directly or indirectly. Genuinely speaking, our tillers or 

cultivators produce two kinds of crops food crops and non-food crops, the non-

food crops are also termed as cash crops by the economists. There is no denying the fact that food crops occupy nearly 75 percent of our cultivable soil, but at the same time the contribution of cash crops to the gross national product of the country is phenomenal and appreciable. 

Let's throw light on the significant cash crops of Pakistan. The major cash crops of Pakistan are cotton, rice, sugar cane, tobacco and oil seeds. 

Cotton: 

Cotton is the staple and principal cash crop of Pakistan. It is mostly grown in the rich and fertile land of Sindh and south Punjab. Tharparker and Sanghar are the main districts of Sindh which produce plenty of cotton every year. The quantity and quality of the cotton grown is commend able. In the Punjab, Multan, Faisalabad and Sahiwal are very famous for the production of cotton. Our country earns a lot of foreign exchange by exporting this gold to the western countries or to the countries where it is non-existent. 

Rice: 

After cotton, rice is another important cash crop which earns us a huge amount of foreign exchange. It is grown on a wider scale in many districts of Sindh and the Punjab. Pakistan is producing some of the finest varieties of rice which have a world wide demand. Exporters from different parts of the country earn a lot by exporting it. Its contribution to foreign exchange earning is estimated at 22 percent. 

Sugarcane: 

The importance of sugar cane cannot be under-estimated as almost every cultivator has reserved a portion of his land for this sweet crops. In the present era, no cultivator can overlook its importance. It is grown in almost every province of Pakistan. Pakistan produces enough sugar cane to feed a size able sugar industry. Our farmers can earn a plenty of foreign exchange, if they utilize modem techniques and methods to enhance its production, because the demand of sugar is increasing day by day in the entire world.

Tobacco: 

Tobacco is one of the most significant cash crops of Pakistan. The soil of Pakistan is very rich and fertile for this crop. The provinces of Punjab and Sindh produce tobacco of a common quality. The areas in and around Peshawar are rich in the production, Virginia tobacco which is the world famous quality of tobacco. 

Oil-seeds: 

Last but not the least, the importance of oil seed as cash crops cannot be underestimated. Since cotton is grown extensively in our country. Cotton seeds are the by product of this crop. Sunflower is also becoming popular as cash crop. Apart from it, There are rapeseeds and mustard seeds. All these seeds are. used in manufacturing vegetable ghee or oil which is commonly used in the country for coking purpose and a small percent age of it is also exported. 

The significance of cash crops may be emphasized from one more angle of vision. Pakistan's agriculture cannot provide employment to a fast growing population. It is only in the field of industry where our surplus population can seek and get jobs. As there are no notable mineral resources in Pakistan, the pattern of industrialization should be such as will depend on agriculture for 'raw materials. So, we have set up cotton textile industry, cigarette industry, and vegetable ghee factories etc. These industries engage nearly 80 percent of our industrial labor force. 

Sincere efforts should be made to enhance their production. Obviously it will cast a healthy impact on the economic and social development of Pakistan.