Like what you've read?

On Line Opinion is the only Australian site where you get all sides of the story. We don't
charge, but we need your support. Here�s how you can help.

  • Advertise

    We have a monthly audience of 70,000 and advertising packages from $200 a month.

  • Volunteer

    We always need commissioning editors and sub-editors.

  • Contribute

    Got something to say? Submit an essay.


 The National Forum   Donate   Your Account   On Line Opinion   Forum   Blogs   Polling   About   
On Line Opinion logo ON LINE OPINION - Australia's e-journal of social and political debate

Subscribe!
Subscribe





On Line Opinion is a not-for-profit publication and relies on the generosity of its sponsors, editors and contributors. If you would like to help, contact us.
___________

Syndicate
RSS/XML


RSS 2.0

A traveller's view of food production in China

By Fay Helwig - posted Thursday, 12 June 2008


It was obvious to me that the demands of an improving living standard among urban Chinese, no longer able to produce food from garden plots, has led to rising prices for fruit and vegetables. This in turn has meant that the farmers have realised they can achieve higher incomes growing these products, not rice.

To grow these new crops the soil within the former rice paddy is hilled into rows or mounds allowing the ground to be temporarily flooded for the purpose of irrigating these deep rooted plants and then drained. These crops require less water for the purpose of irrigation than a rice crop.

Ground cover crops, such as peanuts are frequently planted beneath the young citrus trees until about their fourth year when the leaf canopy shades the soil. This enables the farmer to continue earning income from the field until he is able to realise a profit from oranges. Most of the oranges are sold directly to wholesalers, who then take them to the cities for distribution.

Advertisement

While it is possible to rotate rice fields with alternative crops of beans, corn, peanuts and strawberries, once these fields are planted with fruiting  trees they have been withdrawn from rice production until such time as rice becomes a more valuable commodity than fruit.

Another crop which occupies former rice land is young trees later intended to be transplanted along streets. Chinese cities are making a concerted effort to green their appearance with colourful clipped hedges and closely planted trees.

The young trees, with stems no thicker than pencils, are planted thickly in former rice paddies. They are placed in close proximity to each other, thus encouraging them to grow tall and straight without developing side branches. When the trees have reached the desired height, one to two metres tall, they are root balled and transplanted into permanent positions beside rural roads, highways and city streets. China is much greener than many Westerners expect it to be.

China was once an exporter of rice. Now it has begun to import rice. Australia has been producing as much as 40 billion tons of rice and feeding 60 million people through the world via the export of this grain. Due to the lack of irrigation water in the Murray-Darling Basin in this past year, Australia was only able to export two billion tons of rice. Australia has the potential to grow more rice in northern Australia, although there will be management difficulties to overcome. China could divert tobacco growing country to corn production.

China’s intransigence concerning Tibet is suspected to be largely motivated by plans to divert water from the Himalayan source of rivers that presently flow into India, and send it north into arid regions of China where ground water supplies are rapidly being depleted.

I predict that rice will become increasingly expensive in China and, as always, it will be the poorest people who will suffer as rice remains their staple diet. Rice has become no more than a side dish on the tables of many affluent Chinese.

Advertisement

If China is able to continue raising the living standard of the population and solves the problem of insufficient water in some regions, I anticipate that China will be able to feed its population subject to any major climate change. Again subject to the same condition, I believe Australia can feed its population and continue to export considerable quantities of food to other nations. The real issue is poverty in countries other than China and Australia.

The question remains, how will the hungry multitudes of the future be able to afford to purchase food?

  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. Page 3
  5. All


Discuss in our Forums

See what other readers are saying about this article!

Click here to read & post comments.

3 posts so far.

Share this:
reddit this reddit thisbookmark with del.icio.us Del.icio.usdigg thisseed newsvineSeed NewsvineStumbleUpon StumbleUponsubmit to propellerkwoff it

About the Author

Fay Helwig is a primary producer and operates bed and breakfast accommodation in South East Queensland's Granite Belt. She is author of Wildflowers, wilderness and wine.

Other articles by this Author

All articles by Fay Helwig

Creative Commons LicenseThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

Article Tools
Comment 3 comments
Print Printable version
Subscribe Subscribe
Email Email a friend
Advertisement

About Us Search Discuss Feedback Legals Privacy