by
Chris Jackson, Export Manager, UK TAG
I am back in the UK after attending agricultural exhibitions with British companies in both China and the Philippines
Both countries have agriculture as a high Government priority and where
improving the living standards of the farmers and rural communities is of major
importance.
Clearly demonstrated in Manila by President Dutertem who attended the event, and gave a clear message of support for rural communities changing the farming emphasis, from producing cash crops for export such as bananas and pineapples to basic food production.
This is of course to try and reach a food secure position for his country so that the Philippines does not have to rely on imports of basic commodities, from countries such as Thailand and Vietnam, going forward.
He also committed to developing the nations aqua cultural as a valuable source of protein for the nation. I do hope that he is successful in his ambitious drive despite the fine words of politicians’ worldwide, last week I heard the Nigerian Minister for Agriculture speaking in London, extolling us to invest and help develop the industry in his country where land is available along with good climatic conditions.
However, farming worldwide as we know is a huge annual gamble for all of our producers. All of our production and rewards for hard work is ultimately out of our hands and in the control of the one factor that no man can control the weather, for sure we can mitigate some of its effects but without water and sunlight nothing can be produced.
I am reminded from Australia that cereal yields in parts of Queensland and New South Wales are very light this year due to lack of rainfall in areas where irrigation is not possible.
However, because of light rainfall in New South Wales the cotton planting has been achieved much earlier than last year but for good growth it will require irrigation.
Here in the UK after a reasonable harvest, which was completed in a wet summer meaning crops had to be dried, much of the fieldwork for the next seasons winter crops is now complete but as the autumn rains set in working conditions get harder.
The large acreages now farmed are only possible both here and overseas, by the use of very large machinery, which have a huge capital cost and that are very expensive to operate in terms of fuel consumption.
Read the full article, HERE.
I am back in the UK after attending agricultural exhibitions with British companies in both China and the Philippines
 |
| Chris Jackson |
Clearly demonstrated in Manila by President Dutertem who attended the event, and gave a clear message of support for rural communities changing the farming emphasis, from producing cash crops for export such as bananas and pineapples to basic food production.
This is of course to try and reach a food secure position for his country so that the Philippines does not have to rely on imports of basic commodities, from countries such as Thailand and Vietnam, going forward.
He also committed to developing the nations aqua cultural as a valuable source of protein for the nation. I do hope that he is successful in his ambitious drive despite the fine words of politicians’ worldwide, last week I heard the Nigerian Minister for Agriculture speaking in London, extolling us to invest and help develop the industry in his country where land is available along with good climatic conditions.
However, farming worldwide as we know is a huge annual gamble for all of our producers. All of our production and rewards for hard work is ultimately out of our hands and in the control of the one factor that no man can control the weather, for sure we can mitigate some of its effects but without water and sunlight nothing can be produced.
I am reminded from Australia that cereal yields in parts of Queensland and New South Wales are very light this year due to lack of rainfall in areas where irrigation is not possible.
However, because of light rainfall in New South Wales the cotton planting has been achieved much earlier than last year but for good growth it will require irrigation.
Here in the UK after a reasonable harvest, which was completed in a wet summer meaning crops had to be dried, much of the fieldwork for the next seasons winter crops is now complete but as the autumn rains set in working conditions get harder.
The large acreages now farmed are only possible both here and overseas, by the use of very large machinery, which have a huge capital cost and that are very expensive to operate in terms of fuel consumption.
Read the full article, HERE.
The Global Miller
This blog is maintained by The Global Miller staff and is supported by the magazine Milling and Grain
which is published by Perendale Publishers Limited.
For additional daily news from milling around the world: global-milling.com
No comments:
Post a Comment