Crop
areas of wheat, other arable crops and set-aside which was introduced
into the UK in 1993.
The
production volume of cereals has continued its long term trend downwards
as arable land has moved to other uses.
The
production area of vegetables has recently stabilised but the UK falls
well short of self-sufficiency in vegetable crops.
The
fruit production area continues to decline with self sufficiency in
all fruit at little more than 10%.
The
area of leys has remained relatively stable but rough grazing has
declined slowly as it has become improved, becoming reclassified as
permanent pasture.
The
growth of environmental schemes is fuelled by their financial attractiveness
relative to production.
Total
fertiliser usage continues to decline despite the widespread assumption
that agriculture is continuing to intensify.
Prices
in the £60s per tonne are the same as those some 30 years ago
which explains the lack of profit in arable farming.
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