0000000000341527
AUTHOR
Alfred Wong
Assessment of Agricultural Options Available for Saving Orange Cultivation in Ribera Baixa (Valencia, Spain)
Orange cropping has been in practice in Ribera Baixa (Valencia, Spain) for several centuries. During the past decade, orange cropping has been under severe economic stress arising from increasing competition from less-costly foreign imports. Consequently, farm-gate prices are depressed, under the regime of fixed percentage distribution of retail pricing. Orange groves are being abandoned in many instances. A practicable and sustainable solution to this persistent economic problem would require a re-structuring of the marketing system to facilitate the sales of organic products and introduction of organic growing practices for oranges as well as secondary organic tree crops.
Microalgal oil production for use in rice farms in Albufera (València) region
In the Albufera (Valencia) region of Spain, rice has been farmed for nearly 500 years. Post-harvest flooding of rice fields has become an integral element of wetland refuge for migratory birds. The steady rise in the cost of purchased inputs is causing considerable economic stress to the viability of rice farming in this region. In 2011, it has been estimated the cost of purchased diesel accounted for about 15% of the gross revenue from grain sales. Setting aside about 1.6% of the 14,350-hectare paddy fields for the dedicated yearround cultivation of oleaginous microalgae appears to be sufficient for the entire annual need of diesel fuel. The isolated crude microalgal oil could be used dire…