ULF's grain production per hectare is now halfway between Ukrainian averages and the high yields of the American Midwest. But farming depends on the weather. Across the Black Sea region -- in Ukraine, Russia and Kazakhstan -- drought this year is pushing harvests down by fifteen to twenty percent.
Traditionally, the Black Sea region is the main source of wheat for North Africa and the Middle East. But this year, on the supply side, Russia may have to suspend exports. And, on the demand side, Africa and the Middle East are now competing with China.
At the same time, a new report says large parts of Asia may face long periods of severe drought within ten years. The report is from the British-based Center for Low Carbon Futures, a network of universities. It says northern China, India, Afghanistan, Mongolia and Pakistan will be especially hard hit. It says other parts of Asia are likely to face longer and wetter monsoon seasons because of climate change.
Andrew McConville works for the agricultural technology company Syngenta. He says a lack of new investment in technology to help farmers improve productivity has had an effect.
ANDREW McCONVILLE: "You really start to see, if you like, all of those things come together, laid over the top of very high prices as well, so you almost had a perfect storm of factors coming together.”
And that's the VOA Special English Agriculture Report. I'm Karen Leggett.
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2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25