ISHS Acta Horticulturae 119: III International Symposium on Water supply and Irrigation in the open and under Protected Cultivation
THE ECONOMICS OF IRRIGATING FIELD VEGETABLES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM |
| Author: | E.C. Herwin |
| Abstract:
The last report of the Advisory Council for England and Wales published earlier this year suggests that demand for water by farmers will double tp 130 000 million gallons a year by the year 2000. In South East and Eastern England in particular present demand is not satisfied and in dry seasons present supplies fall well short of potential consumption. 4 per cent of the cropped area in the United Kingdom is in vegetables. This small area accounts for 14 per cent of the value of agricultural crops as a whole, has an output value in excess of £400m and provides 87 per cent of the country's vegetable consumption. The vegetable farmer's aim is to manage the resources of capital, labour and land available to him in such a manner as to maintain a currently and continuously profitable business. The present relatively high labour inputs are at present an essential part of vegetable production providing a degree of safety to their livelihood. Complete mechanisation and automation would, it is believed, lead to over-production and uneconomic returns. Irrigation facilitates continuity of production, seize uniformity and orderly marketing. Investment in irrigation entails a high capital cost. Running costs, insignificant in comparison, include repairs to machinery, fuel, water charges and labour. The farmer has to calculate the likely additional yield provided by irrigation, better quality and any increases in value of crop produce due to continuity of supply over a longer season. Irrigation responsive crops must be grown and provision is required for a run of wet years following installation as this has a depressing effect upon profitability. Day to day irrigation management involves constant decision making and breakdowns all too frequently occur. In times of drought the job has to go on day and night, seven days a week and because of this the farmer must have sufficient spare capacity in his labour force from June to August to cope with the extra work involved with irrigation. | |
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