Topic Agriculture in Great Britain

Topic Agriculture in Great Britain

Topical vocabulary

to provide забезпечувати

gross national product

валовий національний продукт

self-sufficient самодостатній

research дослідження

fertile родючий

arable орний

pedigree cattle племінна худоба

yield врожай, врожайність

cereals хлібні культури

sugar beet цукровий буряк

barley ячмінь

oats овес

flax льон

horticulture садівництво

raspberry малина

full-time farm ферма, працююча протягом року

beef cattle м’ясна худоба

Great Britain is an industrial country. But agriculture is also well-developed. It provides about 5 per cent of the gross national product. Four fifth of the land is devoted to agriculture. About one million people work on farms. Britain is self-sufficient in milk, eggs, meat, potatoes, wheat. However, it needs to import butter, cheese, sugar and some other agricultural products.

The climate of Great Britain and soils are not very favourable for the development of agriculture. It is developing thanks to modern technologies and scientific research. The most productive area is in Lowland Britain, which has fertile soil. In this part of the country they have arable lands. Britain is famous for world’s best pedigree cattle and the highest yield of grain crops.

The cereals wheat takes the lead. It is cultivated on over 40 per cent of the total cropland. The crop is mainly concentrated in the eastern parts of the country. The potatoes crop is widespread throughout the country. Sugar from home-grown sugar beet provides about 55 per cent of the requirements. In England and Wales the chief crops are wheat and barley. In Scotland the leading crop is oats. In Northern Ireland vast area is under oats, flax and potatoes.

Horticulture produces a wide variety of fruit, vegetables and flower crops. The land utilized for horticulture is about 251,000 hectares. Scotland is known for the largest concentration of raspberry plantation in the world. Strawberries are the most popular soft fruit in Britain. 60 per cent of full-time farms are devoted mainly to dairy or beef cattle and sheep. Pig production is carried in most areas. Poultry industry is growing rapidly and is becoming more important. Britain’s second largest source of food is surrounding sea.

The level of agricultural productivity in Britain is high. Britain obtains about half of the food from its own soil.

Answer the questions:

1. How much land is devoted to agriculture?

2. Britain is self-sufficient in milk, eggs, meat, potatoes, isn’t it?

3. What is agriculture developing in Britain thanks to?

4. What are the chief crops in England (Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland)?

5. What are the most popular fruit and vegetables?

6. What is the second major source of food in Britain?

Дата добавления: 2015-11-04