Farming without fields

摘要

Brian brett, a poet, called farming "a profession of hope". Farmers must pray for just enough rain, amenable soil conditions and good market prices. In Argentina their prayers do not end there. Since the country's financial crisis in 2002, its government has taxed farmers at between 20% and 35% on their grain exports, while galloping inflation has pushed costs up by 25% a year. Worse, the government has propped up the Argentine peso so that it is 60% stronger than it would be if freely traded, making crops too dear to sell even as commodity prices have soared.