Cash Crop
(or: the Complexities of Creating Products in the Forestry Sector)
Plantation products / produce can be classified into two distinct types, Agricultural plantations and Forestry plantations. These two distinct types of plantations have differing return cycles, short-term and long-term respectively, namely, Agricultural products such as fruits and vegetables have short harvest cycle as compared to Forestry products that can take tens of years to mature to harvest.
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Agriculture projects are often done in small to modest scale plantations and generally run by farmers in comparison to Forestry Plantations (especially in Asia), these are often done in conjunction with Governmental and Provincial Government Workers in combinations with farmers, universities and other private investors. The governments are essential to this because in most cases they own the land and they are under increasing pressure to reforestation from Government Organizations, NGO’s as well as Global Organizations like the United Nations and others.​
Often to make forestry projects commercially viable for private investors, organizations and the government there is a need to create what in the business is called a “Cash Crop”.
The cash crop grows between the main crop (referred to as intercropping) provides an income after a relatively short period of time that can help supplement the operational costs of the plantation.
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Choosing a suitable product for intercropping is a challenge, the intercropped product needs to be compatible and cannot disturb the main crop. It is often only temporary and may need to be replanted again and again.
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Kynam and Durian can be effectively intercropped, there is an active debate over which of these products should be considered the 'cash crop', the jury is still out on this decision.....
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We would also recommend the consideration of Camelina as a suitable 'cash crop' for intercropping within Gaharu plantations. Known as "Eastern Olive Oil", camelina oil shares similar chemical composition with olive oil, with high amounts of oleic and linoleum acid and low saturated fats. Today, camelina oil serves as the main cooking oil in China's southern provinces.