Thursday 23 October 2008

We all go on about tractor production statistics ...

... while life imitates art:

In the best Stalinist manner, DEFRA informs us that there has been 'A Record British wheat harvest' and further that "Results show a record wheat harvest of 17.5 million tonnes, an increase of 32 per cent on 2007, mainly caused by a record yield of 8.4 tonnes per hectare, combined with a 13 per cent increase in wheat area to 2.1 million hectares. Excellent planting conditions in autumn 2007, as well as strong cereal prices and the reduction to 0 per cent set-aside, contributed to the high wheat area planted".

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Huh?

What happened to the doom and gloom about rising food prices just a few months ago?

That was the same season surely, and now we hear it's a record?

Something doesn't add up.

Dungeekin said...

Good spot, Mr Obnoxio.

So with this announcement today, plus the announcement of the new assault on the Land Speed Record (which is sneakily Goonverment-funded), it really is a case of Panem Et Circenses.

Linked back to you from my post of the same name: http://tinyurl.com/5ewvo3

Regards

Dungeekin

Dr Evil said...

I heard it wasn't a good harvest owing to the unseason rain. Hmmmmmm. I shal ask a few farmers what the real story is.

Old Holborn said...

Red faced, fat fingered fuckers

Thatcher's Child said...

so that is fuel down in price thanks to a recession and food down in price thanks to a good harvest and a recession - all we need now is taxes down thanks to a mysterious multi heart attack of the entire cabinet forcing a quick election which is won by the Tories and Xmas will be good this year!

Obnoxio The Clown said...

all we need now is taxes down thanks to a mysterious multi heart attack of the entire cabinet

Well, get on with it! :o)

Anonymous said...

HUZZAH!
But what happened to all that capitalist grain that refused to dry out in all the *ahem* global warming induced rain?

John Pickworth said...

Great news....

... except its not really that great.

Starting from the fact that in 2007 we had drought in the spring and summer flooding which reduced yields down at least 10% from the average; 2008 was bound to be an improvement. Also, rising prices last year prompted farmers to plant much more wheat this year... to the detriment of other crops like oilseed. Still the results are good considering that a lot of the late harvest in 2008 was also lost to rain.

However, don't count on cheaper Shreaded Wheat on the breakfest table soon... farmers are still labouring under high energy and fertiliser prices.

Anonymous said...

"...a quick election which is won by the Tories ..."

Unlucky mate.

What you are going to get is an election in February, which Labour will win.

Obnoxio The Clown said...

What you are going to get is an election in February, which Labour will win.

I've made the big time: Dolly Draper and his posse read my blog!

Anonymous said...

Anon 12:24

The only likelihood of that happening is if the Conservative Party is banned and the entire parliamentary Conservative PArty are put in pri.....

Oh God!

John Pickworth said...

Labour CANNOT win an election in the short-term. Nor is 18 months (until the final whistle) long enough to rehabilitate the New Labour project.

They're finished... and they know it.