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Tree crops are groves or orchards grown for economic or environmental benefits. Fruit and nut trees are common, but trees can also be grown for other purposes. Tree crops can be grown in large quantities or for small businesses and family farms. They can also be used for agricultural experimentation, hybridization, and environmental recovery. Different types of trees have different purposes and market destinations. Tree crops can also be used to promote travel and tourism. They can be grown on a small or large scale, contributing significantly to agricultural economies.
Tree crops are groves or orchards of trees grown for some type of economic or environmental benefit. While fruit or nut trees are the most common type of tree crop, trees can also be grown as crops for other purposes. Tree crops can be grown in massive quantities but are also popular for small businesses and family farms. In many regions, these crops form a significant part of the agricultural economy.
Unlike wild plants, crops are grown for a specific purpose. In general, most tree crops are grown specifically to be sold on the open market, often as food supplies or raw materials. Crops can also be grown for use in agricultural experimentation or hybridization. In some cases, an orchard can also be planted to promote environmental recovery by providing food and shelter for local fauna.
Trees can have different purposes and market destinations. Fruit and nut trees are typically grown for their seasonal crop and can live for decades as production trees. Lumber trees are grown until they reach maturity, at which point the trees are cut down and processed into lumber, wood chips, and other wood materials. Specialty crops, such as Douglas and Noble Firs, are often grown for the Christmas Tree Market each December.
In some cases, tree crops can also be used to promote travel and tourism. Trees that produce spectacular fall color can be grown in regions where fall tourism is popular. These crops can be raised on tree farms or nurseries, then sold once they reach maturity. Cities can then use these trees to improve the amount of colorful foliage nearby, with the hope of attracting more tourist traffic.
While some tree farms are massive operations, these crops also lend themselves to small farming practices. A farmer with 10 or 20 plum trees, for example, could sell fresh fruit at farmers markets and local stores all summer long and boost income year-round with plum preserves and jellies. Some tree companies will design the crop layout so that production can continue year-round by choosing trees that can be harvested at different times throughout the year.
Tree crops can also be grown on a much larger scale, contributing significantly to agricultural economies. In an analysis by the United States Department of Agriculture, tree nuts alone accounted for nearly $4 billion US dollars (USD) annually in the first decade of the 21st century. Whether a small family farm or a huge industrial scale, tree crops can provide a wide variety of products and raw materials and can serve as an important generator of food and income.
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