In the agricultural sector, a small part of working people in England is employed: it is approximately 2-3%. This is not so much, even less than in most highly developed countries of the world. However, UK agriculture supplies the domestic market with more than half of the agricultural products consumed by the country's population. In the article we will consider the features of this sector of the economy in Great Britain, as well as mention the products manufactured and the one that the state imports and exports.
Features of modern UK agriculture
UK modern agriculture is considered one of the most efficient in the world. The level of mechanization of farming here is very high. Despite the fact that fewer people are working in this area, the number of products in individual positions is growing.
As of 2012, the UK is in 6th place among the EU countries in agricultural production. The total area of agricultural land is 18.5 million hectares, that is, 77% of the total area of the country.
Certain UK specializations in agriculture produce more than the domestic market needs. In this situation, the number of people employed in the industry is falling.
As for agricultural land, their number is gradually decreasing. The land previously used for crop production is transferred to livestock.
UK Agriculture Specialization
The natural conditions that characterize the land of Great Britain contribute more to the development of livestock. In the total cost of agricultural products in the UK, livestock is three times larger than crop production.
Geographically, the agricultural specialization sectors of Great Britain can be divided into the western part, livestock, and southeastern, in which crop production is more developed.
Livestock
The largest number of livestock is sheep - about 30 million units. Cattle also occupy a significant share - 14 million. In recent years, the number of pigs raised has been increasing. Today their stock is approximately 8 million units.
Agricultural enterprises are mainly engaged in the cultivation of beef and dairy cattle. The country has given the world many breeds of highly productive cattle. Known meat breeds: Aberdeen Angus, Shorthorn, Herfordshire.
British pedigree cattle gives a considerable income. Around the world, you can see herds of breeds bred here. So, for example, the largest number of herdershire cattle is not even in the UK, but in the territory of the former Soviet Union.
Poultry farming is actively developing in the areas around major consumption centers. Big and medium cities are such centers. Poultry is raised in large poultry farms equipped with modern technology. They supply the rest of the poultry products.
"Pasture Country"
The lands of Misty Albion are rich in natural pastures. Therefore, Great Britain has long been called the "Country of Pastures", the "Kingdom of Pastures". Here, as if nature intentionally created wonderful conditions for the cultivation of millions of livestock.
Under pastures and hayfields used for livestock breeding, at the moment there are three times more land than under cereals.
The ratio of pastures to the entire area of the country is increasing to the north. So, in the southeastern part of them there are very few, but most of Scotland is occupied by pasture lands. Northern Ireland is occupied by 1/5 of them, the mountains of Wales - by a third.
The entire territory occupied by livestock lands is approximately 12 million hectares with a total area of 24,360,000 hectares (243,600 km 2 ).
The decline of sheep
British agriculture in the 20th century was still characterized by a widespread sheep husbandry. Large flocks of sheep could be seen anywhere in the country. For a long period until the 20th century, England was one of the most important suppliers of sheep wool in the world market. For all the time, about three dozen sheep breeds were bred .
Since then, sheep breeding has begun to lose ground. Today, only 1% of all agricultural production falls on sheep’s wool. The remaining sheep farms work mainly for the production of lamb meat. The largest number of sheep farms is in Wales and Northern England. In the heyday of sheep farming in England, many earned sales of wool and woolen goods. Both in small villages and in cities, things flourished. The sale of sheep’s wool, one might say, has become one of the foundations of the country's current wealth. This fact is preserved in symbols. So, traditionally the Lord Chancellor to this day sits on a bag filled with sheep’s wool.
Sheep farming has ceased to be a profitable business, and business in the UK is almost no longer built on it. Many small and medium-sized farms are on the verge of ruin.
Plant growing
The most important crop products in the UK are wheat, rye, oats, and barley. Part of the grain is imported. Grain products are used for the production of bread, cereals and for livestock needs, that is, for livestock feed.
According to experts, UK agriculture is ready to supply wheat and barley to the foreign market following the 2014 harvest season.
The share of crop production in the country's economy is small, mainly the industry is focused on servicing livestock.
UK Agricultural Products
As we mentioned earlier, the agricultural sector manages to satisfy most of the needs of the UK population in its products. So, oats and barley, potatoes are grown in sufficient quantities. There are enough poultry and eggs, pork, milk of own production in the country. Beef and veal are also produced, but also imported.
We should also mention the products of sheep farming. Sheep rearing in past centuries was much more important than now.
Export and import of agricultural products
Half of the imported products are delivered to the UK from the EU countries. Products such as sugar, butter, cheese, beef, bacon, and veal are imported into the country. The next most important importers are the USA, Israel, Argentina, Egypt, the countries of Central America and South Africa.
Crop production (barley and wheat) and livestock (beef, lamb and other) are exported. UK exports and imports are strictly regulated by the state and adhere to a very specific policy. Despite the fact that many products are imported, the UK seeks to make agriculture a self-sufficient sector of the economy.
State policy is aimed at making agricultural products competitive in the foreign market and maintaining an acceptable level of prices for goods for sale within the country. A system of measures has been developed to improve the living standards of people employed in the agricultural sector, and industry productivity, as well as duties on imported products.
Summary
In the article, we examined the features of the agricultural sector of one of the most developed countries in the world - the UK. Today, the country's agricultural specialization is mainly livestock. In general, it can be summarized that the share of livestock in the country's economy is three times greater than crop production.
It is noteworthy that the UK agriculture covers a significant part of the British needs for the products of the industry. Many different products are exported, but some products are also imported.
UK exports and imports (specifically agricultural products) are produced in different directions. Britain has the closest economic relations with the EU countries. Recently, other areas have been actively developed. Trade in pedigree cattle is established with almost the whole world. As a supplier of sheep products, the country has lost its leadership, held for several centuries, today exporting mainly lamb meat.
In general, the agriculture of Great Britain today is one of the most productive in the world. Moreover, less and less people are working in this field.
We hope that our excursion into the agricultural world of Misty Albion helped you spend time with benefit and interest.