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Anonfood crop, also known asindustrial crop, is acrop grown to produce goods formanufacturing, for example fibre for clothing, rather thanfood for consumption.[1][2][3]
Industrial crops is a designation given to an enterprise that attempts to raise farm sector income, and provide economic development activities for rural areas. Industrial crops also attempt to provide products that can be used as substitutes for imports from other nations.[4]
The range of crops with non-food uses is broad, but includes traditional arable crops likewheat, as well as less conventional crops likehemp andMiscanthus. Products made from non-food crops can be categorised by function:
| Function | Products | Crop examples |
|---|---|---|
| Biofuels andbioenergy (energy crops) | Bioethanol,biobutanol,biodiesel,syngas andbioenergy | Algae,Buchloe dactyloides[citation needed],Jatropha, andswitchgrass |
| Building and construction | Hemp-lime building materials, Straw building materials, Insulation, Paints, varnishes | Hemp,wheat,linseed (flax),bamboo |
| Fiber | Paper, cloth, fabric, padding, string, twine, and rope | Coir,cotton, flax, hemp,manila hemp,papyrus,sisal |
| Pharmaceuticals (traditional) and therapeutic proteins (novel) | Drugs, botanical and herbal medicines, nutritional supplements,plant-made pharmaceuticals | Borage,Cannabis sativa,Echinacea,Artemisia,Tobacco |
| Renewablebiopolymers | Rubber,Plastics andpackaging | Rubber,Wheat,maize,potatoes |
| Speciality chemicals | Essential oils,printing ink, paper coatings | Lavender,oilseed rape,linseed,hemp |
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