The Sun Never Sets In Spain

Since there are specific documents, it should not be said at the banquet.

The banquet did not last long. In the past two days, the ministers were suffering from mental and physical tension. They were very exhausted and needed a rest. Tomorrow they will have to get up early to continue dealing with decoupling matters.

In the lounge, Alfonso, Campos, and Fidel sat in a circle on the sofa chairs.

Campos did not understand agriculture, but it was a food issue after all, so he asked to listen.

After reading this report carefully, Alfonso has a general understanding of the agricultural situation in the autonomous region.

Generally speaking, compared with other European countries of the same era, Spanish agriculture is a bit lagging behind.

The old system does not use violence to innovate, and it is difficult to change itself, while the feudal monarchy of the Kingdom of Spain has been as stable as a mountain in the past few hundred years.

Therefore, the agricultural model is still the original manor production, and the land is owned by the manor.

In addition to planting their own land, tenant farmers have to help the manor owner to cultivate the land on a weekly basis as a reward for using the land.

Fortunately, although the model is relatively backward, the crop rotation method is a relatively new four-zone crop rotation system. After all, the introduction of the method neither costs money nor harms the interests of the manor owner.

In addition, there are fine crops brought from America and Asia.

The estate owners can also make money, and the Catalan farmers can also eat.

"But there are too few farm tools. There are only some simple hoes and shovels. Many of them are not iron. There are only 500 plows and no more than 100 drills in Catalonia...

Catalan industry is not weak, why can't you even make a few farm tools? "

Alfonso frowned deeply. He was very dissatisfied with the current agricultural situation. It can be said that he wasted a rare plain in Spain.

Fidel was ashamed. He guessed that His Highness might have some opinions, but he didn't expect such big opinions.

All things depend on comparison. Compared with other places in the country, Cathay and Thailand’s agriculture can export and generate foreign exchange, and the quantity is still considerable. In fact, it is quite good.

However, Alfonso has seen the agriculture of later generations and the agriculture of Paris.

With the geographical environment of Spain, we don't expect much money from agriculture, but in this era, if we want to become a powerful country, food self-sufficiency must be guaranteed.

"It's not that we can't make farm tools, there is really no market!" Fidel said bitterly.

Facing Alfonso’s surprised gaze, he knew that this statement was a bit illogical, and explained:

"Farmers don't say anything. They definitely don't have the money to buy them. Many people still ask the owner of the farmer to borrow the wooden farm tools they use.

The owner of the manor has no interest in buying. The labor cost is too cheap, and it is much cheaper than expensive tools. With this money, they might as well raise a few more farmers.

In addition, many manor owners are also factory owners, and everyone finds that the rate of return of investing in a factory is higher than that of investing in a manor.

Therefore, agriculture has remained the same.

In the past, we sent people to ask them if they were interested in buying farm tools. The government could fund a factory, but it was rejected. "

"..." Alfonso knew that the other party was telling the truth, and the profitability of small-scale agriculture was obviously not as good as that of factories.

But then a certain big country in the world will not guard the red line of 1.8 billion acres of arable land.

Unless there is a large plain, like the United States and Britain engaged in bourgeois agriculture, then there will be a profit.

But the mountainous terrain of Spain certainly cannot do this. The farmland is scattered all over the country and cannot be connected at all.

Having said that, other places in Spain cannot do this, Catalonia still has this condition.

After thinking about it, Alfonso gave up the idea temporarily.

At present, the land is in the hands of the landlord. If you want to buy all of it, there is not enough capital and time. Not to mention the ancestral foundation, the other party is not necessarily willing to sell it.

After thinking for a while, Alfonso came up with a way to increase agricultural output without harming the interests of others:

"You ask directly, and of course you are told that you are not interested, there is no market to create a market.

How about that, I personally funded the establishment of a farm tool rental company.

Renting farm tools to manor owners at cheap prices, as long as they find that renting farm tools is more cost-effective than raising tenant farmers, they will naturally adopt a more advantageous way.

As for me personally, it is fine to maintain no loss, or even a slight loss. "

Fidel is happy, this is to reduce the cost of water testing and cultivate the market.

Nodding again and again: "Good idea. For this kind of industry whose prospects are unknown and rejected by customers in advance, the finances will definitely not pass the test. It would be great if your Royal Highness is willing to make private contributions.

To be honest, I am personally very optimistic about this industry. When your Highness established the company, can I take a share? "

Alfonso smiled and nodded in agreement. He didn't expect this company to make money in a short time. It would be great if someone was willing to share the cost.

At this time, Campos, who had been quietly speaking, said, "I'll pay a sum too, and I will call Enrique and a few of them later. We will pay a little bit by one of us."

The Governor is not expecting any gains, mainly because he thinks it is good for Catalonia.

Even if the company established together by high-ranking officials is just to make friends, the owners of the manor will try to use it.

"That's how to solve the problem of farming tools. Let's import a batch from France, Britain and Italy for use, and set up the stalls. The production line is not a matter of one or two days. We will strive to build it within half a year."

Seeing that neither of them had any opinions, Alfonso continued: "As for the issue that everyone likes to grow cash crops, we can't force them to grow them, but we can appropriately lower taxes on crops.

Especially rice, rice likes high temperature and high humidity environment, which is in line with the natural characteristics of Catalonia, then we will guide the farmers to this side. "

For the time being, this can only be the case, after all, Alfonso is a newcomer, and his heels have not yet stood firm.

He is coaxing the noble and bourgeoisie now, and dare not make any reforms...

What's left is the most difficult labor issue. Catalonia has a population of over three million people. This is definite. Alfonso cannot be transformed into a person no matter how great it is, and there is no place to absorb immigrants.

He did have an idea, and it didn't harm anyone's interests, but it was a bit contrary to social concepts.

He tentatively asked: "What do you think of women's work?"

Neither of them were stupid. After looking at each other, Campos hesitated and said, "Your Highness, you want a woman to be a farmer? I'm afraid..."

In fact, among the poor, women do heavy jobs in many cases, but they are all small-scale and private.

It seems that the highest level that society can accept is tailors and nurses.

"No, no, no." Alfonso waved his hand, "How can women do farm work? But they can be allowed to go to the factory to do some light labor, and they would be happy to subsidize the family.

In this way, this part of the male labor force is liberated, and we will organize an official development group to absorb this part of the people to reclaim the land, so that the land still belongs to the government, isn't it OK? "