In order to have a full-scale development on chinese agriculture, it's vital to have a focus on the global market. The following article is based on the survay of 2006 global agricluture industry.
America
Rich natural resources endow America unique advantages in developing agriculture. In America, plain below an elevation of 500 meters accounts for 55% of the total area, in addition to its fertile soil, which is beneficial for agricultural mechanization and scale farming. In 2000, its agricultural land totaled 418.3 million hectares, arable land covered 179 million hectares or about 19% of the total area, 0.62 hectares per capita. Besides, the United States has permanent grassland of 240 million hectares and forests and forestland of 265 million hectares. Still, there are some adverse conditions related to agricultural development, for instance, most mountains are north-south extension, cold snap from the north could drive straight and impact crop growth in the south. The United States has abundant freshwater resource and the world well-known five lakes at junction of Canada cover a total area of 245,000 square kilometers.
In terms of American agricultural trade, trade outlook report by the United States Department of Agriculture (thereafter referred to as USDA) revealed in November that in fiscal 2006, its agricultural exports increased drastically and reached record high of 68,721 million U.S. dollars, up 10% over the previous year. The exports mainly fell on corn, cotton and raw meat, their sales growth all exceeding 20%. In fiscal 2006 ended on September 30, American corn exports totaled 6199 million U.S. dollars, increasing by 31% compared with the previous fiscal year. Gross agricultural imports also reached a record high of 64,025 million U.S. dollars, a year-on-year increase of 11%. Gross export was slightly higher than the USDA's forecast in August, while import was slightly lower than the government's forecast.
According to USDA, in fiscal year 2006 gross exports reached a record high of 68.7 billion U.S. dollars, 6.2 billion U.S. dollars higher than previous historic level in fiscal year 2005, growth of corn, cotton and raw meat up 20% than the previous year. In 2006 export of raw meat and its finished products grew by 21% to 4966 million U.S. dollars. Cotton and products in short supply increased by 21% and reached 4676 million U.S. dollars. Soybean export mounted to 6382 million U.S. dollars, down 9%.
Taking a panoramic view of American agriculture, it shows the following characteristics:
The US keeps up the tradition of "State founded on agriculture". Despite the US is a country of immigrants with only two hundred years of history, yet it keeps up the tradition of "States founded on agriculture", it has being stressing power of advanced technology in promoting agricultural development, apart from its favorable national conditions, agriculture has always been an economical mainstay.
American agriculture is based on highly commercialized family farms. "Homestead Act" formulated in 1826, is laid the foundation for family farms. There are five categories of small family farms (sales less than 250,is000 dollars): (1) farms with limited resources, (2) retirement leisure farms, (3) farm-living, (4) tillage farms with low sales, (5) tillage farms with high sales. Large farms are divided into three categories: (a) Large-scale family farms, (2) super family farms, and (3) non-family farms. More than 90% is small farms, which occupy 70% of all the agricultural assets. In United States there are 2.04 million farms, the average size being 193.4 hectares; Agricultural labor force tops 2 million people, who accounts for 2% of the country's total workforce.
American agriculture has achieved a high degree of specialization. Famous production zones have developed, such as corn, wheat and cotton zones. Because of regional division, each area in the United States is able to make full advantage of their respective comparative edge to reduce costs and increase productivity.
Agricultural production is integrated "from field to table". American agricultural system is known as Agribusiness, which absorbs 17% of national workforce and which provides more employment than agricultural industry.
American agriculture depends heavily on the international market. The United States is the world's largest exporter of agricultural products, and one fifth is for export. American agricultural output value accounts for less than 3% of GDP, but covered more than 9% in the early 1990s. In 2000, US agricultural exports reached 708.7 billion U.S. dollars, accounting for 12.7% of the world’s agricultural output, indicating the United States is very dependent on international agricultural market.
Britain
In recent years the British agriculture has been in a state of decline. In 2001 British agriculture confronted with foot-and-mouth disease. Agricultural income was low in 2000, partially due to devaluation of euro in terms of pound. In 2000 British agriculture only accounted for 1.1% of GDP or 6.6 billion pounds; in 2002 contribution rate of agriculture to gross domestic output was 1%. Agricultural employment reached 557,000 persons, nearly three quarters of arable land in Britain was developed.
According to data released by British Ministry of Agriculture, in 2006 British wheat output reached 14.74 million tons, one-percentage pointes lower than 14.86 million tons in 2005. The decline was because planting area dropped by two percentage points to only 1.83 million hectares; Wheat yield was 8.0 tons / hectare, basically same with 2005. In 2006 British barley production was estimated at 5.24 million tons, reducing five percentage points than 5.50 million tons in 2005.
It can be concluded from the import and export trade of agricultural products that the total cereal is enough to guarantee self-sufficiency of Britain, only except grains for food (wheat for food, etc.). Wheat and barley feed compose the main exports, while corn and beans feed mainly rely on imports. Mutton and dairy products also depend on import to supplement deficient domestic production. In conclusion, half of British food supply relies on import. Its main imports include:
(1) Fruit Products
Local British fruit yield is low, which has substantial import demand. For instance, domestic apple production can only meet about 21% of the market demand, the import volume is 3.8 times of domestic production; Pear domestic production can only satisfy 20% of the market demand, its import volume is 3.9 times of domestic output; while domestic plum supply can only meet about 9% of demand.
(2) Vegetable products
Every year Britain has to import large quantities of vegetables to meet its domestic demand. Domestic tomato production can only meet about 18% of the market demand, the import volume is 4.4 times of domestic production; domestic lettuce production can only meet about 38% of the market demand; domestic cauliflower and mushrooms production can satisfy half of the demand.
(3) deep-processed products
Import of deep-processed and rough-processed agricultural imports rose rapidly in recent years, while that of unprocessed products grew slowly. For example, in 2003 import of deep-processed products reached 7.1 billion pounds, rough products up to 9.6 billion pounds. Therefore, the market prospect of processed vegetables and fruits such as dehydrated vegetables and fruit juices is broad and optimistic.
France
In 2003, French agriculture provided 821,000 equivalent full time jobs and involved about 479,000 working population. Agricultural practitioners accounted for 4% of total working population of France (those in agro-food processing industries accounted for 2.7%). France has 30 million hectares of arable area, namely 55% of the total land area. Arable lands locate at both sides of 45 degrees north latitude, so France has favorable planting conditions of both northern European countries and Mediterranean countries. "Available agricultural area in France accounts for 18% of the total agricultural area of 25 EU nations." It has 21 million cattle, 28% of the total of 25 EU countries.
In 2005, the total output of agriculture in France reached 63 billion euros. When all costs are removed, the added value accounted for 44% of the final value, namely 28 billion euros. Plants output covered more than half of the total production (56.1%), an increase from 40% in 1960. In most other EU countries, animal production occupies a larger proportion than plants.
France is the top agricultural production nation in EU, accounts for 19% of its total output (Italy 14%, Germany 13%). It is far ahead in many a agricultural sector. French agricultural operation is highly efficient. In the past 25 years, its output has increased by 27% while the agricultural workforce declines by half.
Increased yield reflects rapid progress of agricultural technology. For example, in France average wheat yield was only 1,500 kilograms per hectare in between the two world wars, which grew to 2500 kg in 1960 and 7,200 kg in 2004.
[Origin：By Expert]
