Chapter 508 Planned Agriculture
As the saying goes, there is food in hand and no panic in mind. Other construction in Australasia is important, but the most basic development of agriculture and animal husbandry is absolutely indispensable.
As a current major exporter of grain and animal husbandry, Australasia's agriculture and animal husbandry has been developing relatively well.
However, under the premise of growing population, the growth of agriculture and animal husbandry is inevitable and necessary.
Last year, Australasia's cultivated land area reached 38.77 million acres, and its grain output reached 18 million tons. Agriculture can be said to be very developed.
Even if grain production stops growing in the future, the 18 million tons of grain production will be enough to feed 20 million Australasians for more than three years.
However, food is definitely a necessity around the world, and it is never enough.
Although it seems that Australasia has no shortage of food, looking at the world, which country can completely meet domestic demand for food?
You must know that a hundred years later, in the 21st century, food crises and famines have occurred frequently. There are many countries affected by poverty and hunger, not to mention now. Those powerful countries want to avoid food shortages. No crisis is easy, let alone poor countries in Asia and Africa.
Even in Russia, which is currently undergoing a civil war among the great powers, it is not a matter of whether the domestic people can have enough to eat. Some food is good, and who cares about the feelings of these people?
There is no doubt that food is one of the most important strategic materials at all times.
Not to mention the huge profits that grain exports have brought to Arthur, the government and the private sector, the fact that the country has food and the people are not panic is worthy of Arthur's continued increase in Australasia's grain production.
With the support of Arthur, Agriculture Minister Robert formulated a four-year food development plan that fits the four-year plan. It is expected that in the next four years, the cultivated land area and food production in Australasia will be increased to 42 million acres and 2,000 acres respectively. Thousands of tons.
It is estimated that the area of cultivated land cultivated every year will reach 807,500 acres. In view of the fact that the localization of the colonies is already in full swing, the most important development method of the major colonies is agricultural development.
Therefore, it is not difficult to add nearly 810,000 acres of cultivated land every year, and it is completely acceptable to Australasia now.
In mid-August 1919, Arthur went to Australian Timor to check the localization situation of Australian Timor and also visited Timor's agricultural development.
After all, it was Arthur's template for colonial localization, and Arthur was still very concerned about Australian Timor.
Australasia's colonial localization policy officially started this year, so it is also regarded by this new cabinet government as an opportunity to achieve political achievements.
As for Australian Timor, which serves as a pilot and template, the government has invested a lot of money.
The total area of Timor Island is as high as 30,777 square kilometers, which is actually quite large.
In terms of products, Timor has timber: mahogany, green dragon wood, sandalwood, eucalyptus, teak and bamboo; it has minerals: gold ore, copper ore, manganese ore, iron ore, gypsum mine, salt mine and oil fields; it has agricultural products: corn , rice, sweet potatoes, coconuts, coffee, rubber, sugar cane and tea; they raise pigs, sheep, cattle, horses and bees, and also have seafood such as sea cucumbers, tortoise shells and pearls. The products are quite developed.
But there is a problem. Among all these products, there is currently no shortage of more valuable oil in Australasia. If we want to develop it, we must first develop the oil fields in the Middle East.
As for the remaining products, it can only be said that they are available, but their competitiveness is not high. Compared with the local region of Australasia, which has relatively developed products, they actually do not have much advantage.
To become a local, not only must it have considerable development potential, but it must also have a corresponding scale of products.
Compared with other products that are difficult to develop, the cultivation of food is definitely more cost-effective.
There are still many products suitable for planting in Timor. Corn, rice, sweet potatoes, coconuts, coffee, sugar cane and tea can all be choices for agricultural development.
And these products can also spawn other industries, whether it is food or finished products, even animal feed made from crop straws, has a certain value to Australasia, a large animal husbandry country.
Arthur focused on visiting Timor's coffee plantations and large farms.
In the habits of Westerners, coffee is still very important, far surpassing the tea passed over from Asia.
Even in Arthur's palace, although there are various drinks, apart from red wine, the most consumed one is coffee.
Although Arthur can personally promote things like tea, Australasia is not a big tea-producing country. Isn't this a wedding dress for other countries in vain?
You know, what Westerners know most about tea is actually not the orthodox green tea, but the black tea cultivated in India.
If there is a tea drinking craze in Europe, there is a high probability that it will be black tea, not green tea.
This is equivalent to making a wedding dress for India. Although the relationship between Arthur and the royal family of the British Empire has been restored, it is not good enough to give away the interests of the people of his country to the British Empire in vain.
Timor's current food production is as high as 77,000 tons, enough to feed 150,000 people.
Timor's current population has barely exceeded 120,000, and it is no problem for the island to become self-sufficient in food.
But this is on the premise that Timor's population does not suddenly increase.
The problem is that, as a pilot project for the localization of the Australasian colony, Timor's population is bound to experience a sudden surge in the next short period of time.
This surge has even begun. The current population of Timor has increased by more than 10,000 people in a short period of time. This is the previous population growth rate of Timor in one year.
Although it is difficult for a colony like Timor to attract immigrants, if there is strong support from the government, the source of immigrants is still no problem.
After all, Timor's current per capita cultivated land area is as high as 3 acres, far exceeding the current situation of less than 2 acres per capita in Australasia.
The immigration conditions provided by the Timorese government are also very good. As long as you are willing to live permanently in Timor, you can obtain at least 4 acres of farmland and arrange free accommodation.
The current agricultural income in Australasia is about A$15 per acre. This also means that as long as you have 4 acres of cultivated land, your annual income will remain at least A$60, which is far higher than that in Australasia. Per capita annual income.
Moreover, immigrants who are unwilling to engage in agriculture can also choose to give up farmland. The colonial government will arrange jobs for the immigrants to ensure that the income of the immigrants is at least maintained at the per capita income level.
This is still very attractive to some immigrants who cannot find jobs in their home countries.
After all, the per capita income level in Australasia is not low, and there is no problem in working hard to support a family.
Basically, as long as two people in a family of three work, food and clothing for the whole family is not a problem.
As long as all three people have jobs, their income is definitely above average compared to European countries.
To be honest, Arthur was very satisfied when he saw the vast sea of plants in Timor with his own eyes.
Although the scale is not large, after all, the cultivated land area is measured in units of 10,000 acres, so it still looks very spectacular.
In particular, the cultivated land in Timor is basically planned. Large areas of cultivated land are connected together, and all of them are large-scale farms, and the visual effect is even more outstanding.
"Minister Robert, what figure can Timor's grain production reach this year?" Looking at the large field of crops in front of him, Arthur was in a good mood and asked the Minister of Agriculture Robert, who was one step behind.
"Your Majesty." Minister Robert immediately and respectfully replied: "Currently, Timor's cultivated land area has reached 3.7 acres per capita, and the total cultivated land area is approximately 440,000 acres. According to our estimates of Timor's grain output last year, Timor's total cultivated land area this year has reached 3.7 acres. The grain output should reach about 95,000 tons, with a growth rate of at least 23.5%."
This is actually a conservative estimate based on last year's grain production. Minister Robert did not exaggerate. After all, if it is boasted but cannot be realized, Arthur The punishment will not be small.
Under Arthur's leadership, the Australasian government has always adhered to an efficient and pragmatic attitude, and put an end to exaggerating political achievements and making blind promises.
Especially for some officials who only talk words but do nothing, the oversight of the House of Representatives is no joke.
Arthur nodded silently, quite satisfied with what Minister Robert said.
The first is the increase in cultivated land area, which has increased from just over 3 acres per capita to 3.7 acres. The data can already reflect the efforts of the Timorese government in cultivating land. However, compared with the developed mainland of Australasia, Timor's land production is still relatively small.
This requires a period of use and fertilization before the productivity of the land increases.
The current scale of Timor's cultivated land can meet the needs of Timor's population before it rises to 500,000, which is good for Timor's development.
After all, as a region that has decided to mainly develop agriculture, if it cannot achieve self-sufficiency in food, how can we talk about developing agriculture?
"What's Timor's population situation this year?" After confirming Timor's rapid agricultural development, Arthur focused on Timor's population.
"Your Majesty, the current population of Timor is estimated to be around 123,000 people. By the end of this year, it will grow to about 140,000-150,000 people. If there are no problems in the future, Timor's population can be reduced within the four-year development plan. Increase it to about 300,000 people, thereby completely realizing the localization of Timor." Philippe, the Minister of People's Livelihood, quickly stepped forward and replied.
The population size of 300,000 people is indeed not low, especially for an island area with an area of only 30,000 square kilometers.
This is not the future, and Australasia does not have a sufficient population base. Timor's population can achieve such growth because of the government's efforts.
But given Australasia a hundred years to develop, judging from the current population growth rate, it is absolutely not a problem for Australasia's population to exceed 200-300 million.
"How are the work and accommodation arrangements for the new immigrants?" Arthur then asked.
The increase in immigration is certainly a good thing, but the food, clothing, housing and transportation of immigrants must also be carefully arranged.
No matter where these immigrants come from, after they permanently reside in Australasia and obtain nationality, they are citizens of Australasia and enjoy the protection of the law.
The government also needs to pay full attention to the needs of these people and try its best to meet them.
In particular, new immigrants have a lot of demand for housing, which must be met. After all, only by giving immigrants a place to live can they better devote themselves to work and life.
At present, most of the Timorese government's solutions to immigrants' housing needs are based on Australasian methods.
The first is to build low-cost housing and rent it to these new immigrants at relatively low prices.
Regardless of the type of housing, the rent for the first three months will be reduced or exempted to a certain extent to reduce the burden on new immigrants.
The second type of housing is a characteristic of the Australian region, which is wooden houses.
Australia produces eucalyptus, and eucalyptus wood is also Australia's key export timber.
Eucalyptus is highly adaptable and has the advantages of fast growth, good dry shape, and wide range of uses. Eucalyptus can be used in pulp and paper, artificial board and construction industries, and its economic value is still good.
Although it seems a bit numerous and suitable for planting, eucalyptus trees also have a major disadvantage, which is that they consume a lot of water.
This can only be a shortcoming in other areas, and is completely acceptable compared to the economic value of eucalyptus.
But for a country like Australasia, which is extremely short of water resources, the shortcomings of eucalyptus will be infinitely magnified, which is fatal.
But what's even more terrible is that Australasia is the country of origin and main producer of eucalyptus. Most of the trees in Australia are eucalyptus, which wastes a lot of water resources in Australia every year, especially in Australia.
In order to solve this situation, driven by Arthur, a log house craze started in Australia, and wooden houses made of eucalyptus templates were also welcomed by most people.
Arthur's plan is to replace all eucalyptus trees in Australia within a certain period of time with trees that don't waste much water.
Although the value of eucalyptus trees is pretty good, for areas in Australia that are relatively water-scarce, forget it.
On the other hand, in areas such as Timor, New Guinea and New Zealand, the planting of eucalyptus can be sustained.
After all, Australasia is the country of origin of eucalyptus trees, and we cannot see eucalyptus trees completely extinct in Australia. Biodiversity must still exist.
It is precisely thanks to these eucalyptus trees that Australasia has no shortage of wood. Whether it is the cost of building wooden houses or the cost of wood and other wood products, the wood cut down in Australasia every year is enough.
Of course, after cutting down the eucalyptus trees, the government will also organize manpower to plant other trees. Basically, the replacement of tree types can be completed within 20 to 30 years.
Although the green environment in Australasia is relatively healthy, Arthur still attaches great importance to the ecological environment.
The newly built capital city of St. Arthur's Castle took greening into consideration.
It can be said that St. Arthur's Castle has one of the largest green areas in Australia, and the air will be very fresh.
Of course, the current green area of Sydney Palace is actually quite a lot. Although the air in Sydney can only be considered good, the air quality in the Palace is definitely two levels higher.
Breathing fresh air every year will always make you feel better no matter what.
Besides, fresh air is good for both physical and mental health, so for members of the royal family, this is also a good thing.
Arthur didn't want to see Sydney turn into a new smog city. Arthur had experienced the air quality in London. The suffocating feeling was something that even a mask couldn't impart.
If it weren't for his concern for Britain, Arthur would even have the intention of wearing a mask at all times in London.
It's a pity that this is unrealistic. After all, members of the royal family do not wear masks when meeting. Let's not talk about Arthur's unusualness. This behavior also seems to be a lack of attention to the British royal family and the royal families of other countries.
This is actually an important reason why Arthur does not want to stay in London. If you stay in London for a long time, if nothing else, your life span will definitely be much lower than other people. This is why Australasia tries to avoid air pollution.
With low-cost housing and wooden houses, Timor has already solved most of the housing needs of immigrants.
For some immigrants with small assets, the Timorese government will also build some villas or real apartment buildings and sell them to people who want to buy them.
Because of the current restrictions on housing prices by the Australasian government and the large number of low-cost houses, there is no real estate speculation in Australasia.
After all, the house you worked so hard to buy may not appreciate much in ten years, and may even be offset by the age of the house, turning it into a bad deal.
"The localization of Timor is the most important step in our colonial localization strategy. It also determines whether our designated colonial localization policy can be successful and whether it is suitable for full implementation. All departments must fully cooperate with Timor's actions and strive to The results will be seen within four years, and it will be implemented stably throughout the country." Arthur was still satisfied with this inspection trip to Timor.
Therefore, the summary is more of an encouragement to the ministers and the Timorese government.
As he said that, Arthur looked at the Governor of Timor, Frank Weir, and ordered: "Governor Frank, the situation in Timor will be reported to me every two months. If you have any questions, please discuss with the cabinet government." "Timor.
" Localization is necessary and will definitely succeed. The Timorese colonial government should not slack off, this is related to the development of the entire country." Arthur demanded.
"Yes, Your Majesty! Please rest assured that I will do my supervisory duty and report the situation to you on time." Frank, the Governor of Timor, nodded blindly and assured Arthur.
As a governor appointed by Arthur himself, Governor Frank's ability and loyalty are naturally beyond doubt.
Arthur is very relieved that Timor Leste's development is left to Frank.
Even when the localization of Timor is completed in the future, Frank and the Timor colonial government will successfully transform into the state government directly under Timor. While the level remains unchanged, its own power and status will still be improved to a certain extent.
After all, Timor was only a small colony with a population of tens of thousands before, but if localization is successful, Timor will be a state directly under Australasia anyway, and the power and status of the governor will still be considerable in the government.
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(End of chapter)