Agriculture from Around the world

[DeereMe88]

This is the main crop we produce, alfalfa. This is grown for hay of which we take 9-10 cuts a year. Cutting interval depends on time of year but generally around 30 days

 

[jellybean]

Hi There DeereMe88, I worked in Saudi back in the 1970's, first on a dairy unit called Sanabel and then on a new unit at Haradh. It would have been primitive then compared to Almarai's current setup. I remember it as very tough going, myself and wife for 270 cows plus one Indian helper. Shopping was once per month, driving to Al Kharj between milkings. I loved seeing alfalfa growing and getting so many cuts off it, would love to be able to feed my deer on it. Best of all was picking ripe water melons off the pivot and just scoffing them. Another great thing was seeing all the birds that stopped off on migration because of the green circles and water and abundance of insects.
Do please post some more pics of how it is now.

 

[Pilatus]

Looking at the green circles in the desert on Google,makes them look surreal. What is your nearest town so I can try and see the irrigated circles that you mange,thank you.

 

[Pilatus]

I see Almari bought land in Arizona U.S.A, to grow Alfalfa,according to the press atricle the idea has not gone down very well (no pun intended if you read the article). Is it true that wells are starting to run dry in Saudi due to huge amounts of water being pumped from them?

 

[Roger Perry]

In my area there are around 2200 pivots, we have pretty good re-charge due to being in a large flat valley between mountains, the melting snowpack re-charging the aquifer.
Although pivots /flood are used extensively we are seeing a move somewhat to sub-surface drip irrigation.

We just viewed a 900 acre farm for sale in New Mexico that is equipped totally with drip, the yields are impressive compared with conventional irrigation, spoon feeding the crop for max yield.

 

[DeereMe88]

Hi There DeereMe88, I worked in Saudi back in the 1970's, first on a dairy unit called Sanabel and then on a new unit at Haradh. It would have been primitive then compared to Almarai's current setup. I remember it as very tough going, myself and wife for 270 cows plus one Indian helper. Shopping was once per month, driving to Al Kharj between milkings. I loved seeing alfalfa growing and getting so many cuts off it, would love to be able to feed my deer on it. Best of all was picking ripe water melons off the pivot and just scoffing them. Another great thing was seeing all the birds that stopped off on migration because of the green circles and water and abundance of insects.
Do please post some more pics of how it is now.

Hi Jellybean, thanks for the reply! I will get more pics up for you soon!

 

[DeereMe88]

Looking at the green circles in the desert on Google,makes them look surreal. What is your nearest town so I can try and see the irrigated circles that you mange,thank you.

Nearest town is Hail which is about 45 mins away, nearest small town is Al Ajfar but not sure if it will show up on google. Farm im on now is 60 pivots but the main farm is quite close by, it has around 400 pivots. You can make them out as their in a rectangle pattern running east to west. The main farm is where i started working, the farm site is 35km east to west and 10km north to south. I now work on a smaller arable farm which is the personal farm of Prince Sultan, who owns the company.

 

[DeereMe88]

I see Almari bought land in Arizona U.S.A, to grow Alfalfa,according to the press atricle the idea has not gone down very well (no pun intended if you read the article). Is it true that wells are starting to run dry in Saudi due to huge amounts of water being pumped from them?

They have bought land in Arizona and Argentina, and are actively looking elsewhere. Arable crop production in Saudi will not continue for long, but no-one knows exactly when itl stop. Water is starting to run out, wells are now very deep and drilling new wells is now illegal. Recharge is dropping each year hence why they are looking elsewhere to grow forage.

 

[Pilatus]

They have bought land in Arizona and Argentina, and are actively looking elsewhere. Arable crop production in Saudi will not continue for long, but no-one knows exactly when itl stop. Water is starting to run out, wells are now very deep and drilling new wells is now illegal. Recharge is dropping each year hence why they are looking elsewhere to grow forage.

Wonder who will get the land first the Chinese or Saudis',when push comes to shove which one will have the deepest pocket?. My last sentence was a bit flippant ,but this seems not to be a good situation to be developing ,when such huge countries start to buy up land around the world. Just shows how concerned some countries must be for the future food supplies.

 

[Roger Perry]

If the well drop-off is that bad they are in serious trouble, a healthy aquifer is key to everything.

Are you guys doing anything to conserve your water..? trailing drops...sub surface...even a LEAPA approach

What is your static level now..?

 

[DeereMe88]

Wonder who will get the land first the Chinese or Saudis',when push comes to shove which one will have the deepest pocket?. My last sentence was a bit flippant ,but this seems not to be a good situation to be developing ,when such huge countries start to buy up land around the world. Just shows how concerned some countries must be for the future food supplies.

Almarai has grown exponentially over its 30 odd year lifetime, they have options of other places to go and they have no intention of slowing down. The dairy side is only one part of it, they also have a huge poultry division, based at the main Hail farm project, they have a processing factory there thats killing and processing 2 million birds a week! Wheat production has been banned and maize corn will be soon, so they will have to buy more land elsewhere in the near future

 

[DeereMe88]

If the well drop-off is that bad they are in serious trouble, a healthy aquifer is key to everything.

Are you guys doing anything to conserve your water..? trailing drops...sub surface...even a LEAPA approach

What is your static level now..?

I agree, but the mindset here is different. They want maximum production and when they cant do that here, they will go somewhere else.

We dont use trailing drops, sub surface is too expensive and LEPA is unsuitable as only half your cultivated area would be productive. I see your point and i agree with you, but these decisions are above my pay grade!!
The farm in Arizona uses sub surface from what im told its very successfull.

Whereabouts are you Roger?

 

[Roger Perry]

San Luis Valley, south central Colorado.

I believe sub surface drip is about $2k acre

 

[DeereMe88]

San Luis Valley, south central Colorado.

I believe sub surface drip is about $2k acre

Colorado is beautiful, stayed there a few years ago while travelling across the US. What do you grow?

Its great technology, not sure of anyone is using it in Saudi, certainly Almarai arent. As for static level, i cant give specifics, but if i tell you were using 600-700hp engines to pump water for a 75ha pivot, youll have a fair idea of how deep!

 

[DeereMe88]

Baling team on first farm i worked on. Baling 800-1000 acres a night

 

[DeereMe88]

All JD 6930s with Quadrant 3200 balers or on NC bale trailers. 2 JCB 436s and one 416 loader

 

[Roger Perry]

We have static levels from 12 ft down to 20-40ft, all electric motors of 30-40hp, pumping 900-1200 gallons minute, the HP you mentioned must put you at 1500-1800ft.. Ouch.
Grow Alfalfa/seed canola/malt barley/some veg.

 

[Roger Perry]

Have you tried the dew simulators to extend your baling time, here using three balers with the dew machines instead of four balers previously.

 

[Pilatus]

Almarai has grown exponentially over its 30 odd year lifetime, they have options of other places to go and they have no intention of slowing down. The dairy side is only one part of it, they also have a huge poultry division, based at the main Hail farm project, they have a processing factory there thats killing and processing 2 million birds a week! Wheat production has been banned and maize corn will be soon, so they will have to buy more land elsewhere in the near future

I find the above info really interesting ,but at the same time really concerning for the future of Saudi food production/supplies.
Do those in high places, think they can buy land elsewhere in the world, produce wheat ,corn etc on that land and ship it back to Saudi cheaper than they can buy those same commodities on the world wide commodities market.?
As other desert countries must be in the same predicament,but without the finances behind them ,like Saudi has,food supplies for some of those countries look bleak,so one can see how much more, productive countries are going to have to produce, to make up up the short fall as well as the needs of their own increasing populations.Extemely concerning for future world wide food supplies.

 

[Roger Perry]

The best birth control is personal wealth, if the planet can only sustain a certain number for long term survival (I would suggest we may have already passed that )