Field Guides to Food

Cash Crop (Menthol) vs Food (Wheat/rice)

The draw of cash crop is mostly about economic gain since menthol oil brings higher price compared to wheat and rice. The appeal of cash crop in the community is high but the cost of getting the most profit is dependent on how much people can sacrifice their food security or get it supplemented by imported food. Another draw back of growing menthol is the need for energy source to extract oil from the plant for which the community entirely depends on fire wood. Fore wood is hard to get and it is very expensive. Thus the profit margin is not guaranteed.

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