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Transport in Agriculture
Page 43
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A Huge Business Which Demands Punctuality, Rapidity and Freedom from Damage to Produce ESP1TE the fact that we have to import such a huge quantity of foodstuffs from abroad, the agricultural industry of this country is of great and increasing importance; in labour alone, it requires the work of over 745,000 people of both sexes. We pay approximately E400m. in subsidies to reduce the direct cost of food to the Nation, apart from a fairly large sum on feeding stuffs for cattle, etc., and smaller subsidies to farmers, nearly half of the total being expended upon lowering the price of food from abroad. These figures are indicative of the urgent need for doing everything in our power to make this industry more productive, efficient and economical.
There are difficulties in the way. Our country is one of comparatively small farms. Over 235.000 lie between I and 50 acres, 91,000 have 60 to 150 acres, some 43,000 from 150 td 500, whilst only just over 3,500 cover 500 acres or more. These areas do.not include rough grazings.
Amongst the factors which materially, affect the cost of production of practically all forms of foodstuff is transport, not only upon our thoroughfares, but also to quite a large extent within the areas of the farms themselves—in fact, it is claimed by some agriculturists that from a quarter to a third of work on most, if not all, farms takes the form of transport. , Road Transport Much Favoured For the delivery of produce to the markets and for the return supply of packing boxes, feedingstuffs, fertilizers and many other requirements of the farmer, road transport is particularly favoured. The farmers are themselves also favoured by reduced taxation and fewer restrictions than those imposed upon operators in other spheres.
Reasons for the preference for carriage by road are the reduction in the handling which is involved . when produce travels by train, and the fact that there is no interference with the efficient and careful loading before journeys. Foodstuffs deteriorate considera6ly if badly packed, and with means for transport other than road there can be no guarantee that the additional loading and unloading required will be conducted with the same degree of caution. Also, in many instances where farmers own their own vehicles or are able to hire them, return loads are available.
Many farmers in a big way of business run individual vehicles for mileages of up. to 1,000 per week. Included amongst them is a considerable number of farmer-merchants, who purchase the produce 'of other •and, . possibly, Smaller farmers. take it to market and thus relieve the little men of much responsibility and worry.
Time-and punctuality, mean. a great deal in..this Country. An hour lost at the farm or en. route may represent all the difference between a reasonable profit and a serious loss; consequently, vehicles must be available where and when they are wanted.
Free Hauliers Gave Real Service Investigations show that many farmers are not receiving to-day the good service in this respect which they looked to as a normal procedure in the past. The free haulier was in a position to meet individual requirements far more ably and satisfactorily than can a nationalized organization with its bureaucratic methods and comparative rigidity. As a result, where distances are beyond the legal range of the independent provider of transport. those agriculturists who can afford to do so are inclined to buy their own vehicles, and the majority of those obtained is in the fightor medium-capacity class permitted to travel at 30 m.p.h., for the loads are light but bulky.
On the farms themselves, haulage by horses or other animals has become obsolescent, if not obsolete. For some work, ordinary motor vehicles can be employed, whilst in other cases those of special design with four-wheel drive are needed. There is also an increasing tendency towards the employment of tractors suitably fitted for hauling trailers. The use of such trailers is not confined to the immediate area of holdings. Numbers are used on the road for taking produce to the markets and for other purposes.
The extent of the business in farmers' vehicles is indicated by the total number registered, which, during 1950, was some 46,000.