United Kingdom: United Kingdom Agriculture Profile 2012
2012/04/05
United Kingdom Agriculture Profile 2012
Only 2% of the labor force and accounts for a slightly smaller percentage of the GDP, British agriculture supplies more than half UK's food needs. About 80% of Britain's total area is used for agriculture, which in general is highly mechanized and technically advanced. Britain pioneered improved farming methods as early as the 18th century.
Britain's damp climate and hilly terrain make much of the country well suited to hay production and grazing. Consequently, livestock and livestock products, especially meat and milk, account for most of the farm income. Except for poultry, sheep and cattle are the most numerous farm animals. Many of the world's finest breeds of livestock were developed in Britain.
The cropland is in the south and the east, where the terrain and soils are better suited to tillage than elsewhere. Cereals, particularly barley and wheat, sugar beets, rapeseed, and potatoes are the chief field crops. Also produced in large amounts are vegetables, especially cabbages and carrots. Apples are the most widely grown and abundantly produced fruit.
Fishing and Forestry
A long coastline and easy access to the sea have helped make Britain a prominent fishing nation. Fleets from hundreds of coastal cities and towns fish the adjacent waters, especially the North Sea, which is one of the most productive fishing grounds in the world. In addition, large trawlers and freezer-factory ships voyage to distant North Atlantic waters.
Seafood has long been a popular food in Britain and an important part of the nation's food supply. Cod, haddock, plaice, herring, mackerel, whiting, and shellfish make up most of the catch. Fish farming of salmon and rainbow trout is also important. Among the busiest fishing ports are Brixham, Grimsby, Newlyn, North Shields, and Lowestoft in England; Milford Haven in Wales; and Aberdeen in Scotla
10 % of the land is forested, and Britain relies on imports for most of its wood and wood products. A reforestation program is bringing additional forest land into production.
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