They are grown primarily for the harvesting of mature grains which are used or processed into staple food and animal feed. They are also processed into various products such as starch, malt, biofuel (alcohol) and sweetener (i.e., high fructose corn syrup).
Wheat and rice are the most important crops worldwide as they account for over 50% of the world's cereal production. By 2050, world annual demand for maize, rice and wheat is expected to reach some 3.3billion tones, or 800 million tones more than 2014’s record combined harvest.
The early Egyptians stored seeds, under governmental supervision, for sowing during the following crop season. The early Romans recognized the advantages of pure seed for crop production. The first organized seed trade started in Germany, France, and Great Britain late in the 17th century and early in the 18th century. The first seed testing station was established in Germany approximately one hundred years ago.
The civilizations of Babylonia, Egypt, Greece, and Rome were founded on the production of wheat, barley, and the millets. The cultures of India, China, and Japan were dependent on the rice crop. The Inca, Maya, and Aztec cultures were based on the growing of corn (maize), which is apparently the only cereal indigenous to the Americas.
The cereals are, in general, the cheapest sources of food energy and can be grown anywhere in the world. They give high yields per acre, can be stored for relatively long periods of time, and can be transported cheaply. The cereal grains, with their high starch content and lower prices, make up a major source of energy (calories) in developing countries. There, cereal consumption is high enough to contribute a substantial amount of protein to the diets of older children and adults (although still well below quantity and quality requirements).
Cereal
crop in general
