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Capitalism: 5 million farms have disappeared in the EU during last 20 years
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    The number of farms in the European Union has fallen by a third over the past twenty years, from 15 million to 10 million, according to a report by the European Parliament think tank on May 28, according to the Dutch portal Nieuwe Oogst.

    Over the next twenty years, that number could drop further, to about four million. In particular, small farms less than 5 hectares in Central and Eastern Europe will disappear.

    It is emphasized that in some EU countries most of the farms have no more than 5 hectares of land. Thus, 85% of the 3.6 million farms in Romania are small.

    According to the forecast of the European Parliament, agricultural production in the EU countries will be concentrated on a smaller number of large farms. The researchers note that the general trend is the consolidation and intensification, as well as the loss of family and traditional farms.

  • 4 Replies sorted by
  • markr041markr041

    https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/717890

    The US has lost millions of farms since the 1940's, with steady rising output and large reductions in input costs. Increasing the size of farms, eliminating over half of existing farms, in two of the largest countries in the world (India and China) would increase food production, at lower cost, by a substantial amount. This will never happen without government imposition - the market will not do this there. India's farms have been steadily increasing in number and are half the size they were when India achieved its independence.

    France had a government-imposed land consolidation program after WW II - not capitalism - that substantially decreased the number of farms, increased average farm size, and increased grain output enormously.

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    @markr041

    Well, where I wrote that it is bad for production?

    All we can see here is progress that eliminates small firms and small farms.

  • markr041markr041

    Oh, I see, you meant to say how capitalism led to progress? Really? that was your point? I did not see "progress" mentioned. Seems the usual bemoaning of the "loss of family farms " or the "disappearance" of farms, like endangered species? Since a theme of this forum is, it appears, the evils of capitalism (which I enjoy when spot on), one would surmise you are once again showing some bad effect of it - the loss and disappearance of those wonderful family farms we all love. You did not mention this trend was good for production and world food supplies: forgot?

    Btw, before the invasion, Ukraine passed major legislation that would have led to land consolidation and larger farm sizes and increased production.

    "Capitalism" in India has resulted in more and smaller farms; capitalism in the US to less farms and bigger farms. Reforms in China to smaller farms. Reforms in Ukraine to bigger farms. Your linking of capitalism to European farm size trends in your post caption is simplistic, whatever you really meant by it.

    How about more posts? "Capitalism: the Multiplication of Farms in India." "Communism: the Multiplication of Family Farms in China." :)

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    @markr041

    I did not see "progress" mentioned. Seems the usual bemoaning of the "loss of family farms " or the "disappearance" of farms, like endangered species?

    I still ask myself how you got your PhD. As moaning about how bad is loss of small firms and farms is clearly ultra right libertarian thingy.

    Oh, I see, you meant to say how capitalism led to progress?

    Did you actually read any book related to communism?

    You did not mention this trend was good for production and world food supplies: forgot?

    Do you see that ALL post is quoted, so it is not my text?

    "Capitalism" in India has resulted in more and smaller farms; capitalism in the US to less farms and bigger farms. Reforms in China to smaller farms. Reforms in Ukraine to bigger farms. Your linking of capitalism to European farm size trends in your post caption is simplistic, whatever you really meant by it.

    What you see in China and India is not about some "unusual" and "different" thing. All you see is idea of large bureaucracy (and not capitalism self regulation) to find workplaces for lot of very poor people. It'll all turn out in the same way of making farms bigger later.

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