Cereal crops are mostly grasses cultivated for their edible grains or seeds (actually a fruit called a caryopsis). Cereal grains are grown in greater quantities worldwide than any other type of crop and provides more food energy to the human race than any other crop. In some developing nations, cereal grains constitute practically the entire diet of common folk. In developed nations, cereal consumption is more moderate but still substantial . The word cereal derives from Ceres, the name of the Roman goddess of The Harvest and Agriculture. Grains are traditionally called corn in the United Kingdom, though that word became specified for maize in the United States, Canada and Australia.

Production

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The following table shows annual production of major cereal grains, in 19611961 is the earliest year for which FAO statistics are available. and 2005, ranked by 2005 production.^* All but buckwheat and quinoa are true grasses.

Grain	2005 (Mt)	1961 (Mt)
Maize	694,575,552	205,004,683	A staple food of peoples in North America, South America, and Africa and of livestock worldwide; called "corn" or "Indian corn" in North America and Australia, or "sweetcorn" in the UK.
Wheat	628,101,035	222,357,231	The primary cereal of temperate regions
Rice, Paddy	618,534,989	215,654,697	The primary cereal of tropical regions
Barley	137,302,263	72,411,104	Grown for malting and livestock on land too poor or too cold for wheat
Sorghums	58,620,842	40,931,625	Important staple food in Asia and Africa and popular worldwide for livestock
Millets	27,388,444	25,703,968	A group of similar but distinct cereals that form an important staple food in Asia and Africa.
Oats	23,972,508	49,588,769	Formerly the staple food of Scotland and popular worldwide for livestock
Rye	15,605,370	35,109,990	Important in cold climates
Triticale	13,473,141	0	Hybrid of wheat and rye, grown similarly to rye
Buckwheat	2,529,794	2,478,596	Used in Europe and Asia. Major uses include various pancakes and groats
Fonio	264,508	178,483	several varieties of which are grown as food crops in Africa
Quinoa	51,152	32,435	Ancient pseudocereal, grown in the Andes

More on [ Cereal ]

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