Breadbasket

Thebreadbasketof a country or of a region is an area which, because of the richness of thesoiland/or advantageous climate, produces large quantities of wheat or other grain.Rice bowlis a similar term used to refer to Southeast Asia;^[1]California'sSalinas Valleyis sometimes referred to as America'ssalad bowl.^[2]^[3]Such regions may be the subject of fierce political disputes, which may even escalate into full military conflicts.^[4]

Breadbaskets have become important within the globalfood systemby concentrating global food-production in a small number of countries and, in countries such as India, in small geographic regions.^[5]Asclimate change increases weather variabilityaround the world, thelikelihood of multiple breadbaskets failing at a time increases dramatically.^[5]The2022 food criseshas been in part facilitated by a series of failures in key breadbasket regions, and the2022 Russian invasion of Ukrainehas created significant potential disruption of the respective breadbasket regions that are important for global wheat and oil seed production.^[6]^[7]^[8]^[9]^[10]

History

Classical antiquity

Sicilyand theprovince of Africawere considered the breadbaskets of theRoman Republic.Later, in the imperial era,Hispania(and specifically,Baetica) was considered the "breadbasket of Rome."Strabomentions that "Turdetaniais wonderfully fertile, it has all kinds of fruits and very abundant ", and that together withprovince of Egypt,they are the most productive territories in the known world.^[11]Crimeawas the source of a large amount of grain supplied to the Greek city-states, especiallyAthens.

Africa

InSouth Africa,theFree Stateprovince is often considered the country's breadbasket due to its wheat, sunflower, and maize fields.^[12]TheOverbergregion in theWestern Capeis also known as the breadbasket of South Africa due to its large wheat fields, as well as fruit growing.^[13]

Zimbabwe,formerly known asRhodesia,was known as the breadbasket of Africa until 2000, exporting wheat, tobacco, and maize to the wider world, especially to other African nations. However today,Zimbabwe,is a net importer of foodstuffs from the Western World.^[14]

Morocco

Sincesubsistence agriculturewas the dominant economic system in most ofMorocco'shistory, it's difficult to speak of a breadbasket region. All regions produced their own wheat and barley to feed themselves and their livestock. With the European commercial penetration in the second half of the 19th century, Morocco started to export wheat to Europe despite the objection of theulama(religious establishment). TheChaouiaandDoukkalaplains became the most important suppliers of wheat for export. This is logical given their proximity to the coast. The ports ofCasablancaand Feddala, today'sMohammedia,serviced the Chaouia Plain while the port ofMazaganserviced Doukkala.

After Morocco's independence, agriculture in Doukkala became geared toward irrigation so less area has been devoted to wheat, whereas Chaouia maintained its status as a major wheat-producing region thanks to its dark soil calledtirsand relatively abundant rainfall (avg. 400 mm/year).

Asia

State	Breadbasket / Ricebowl
Cambodia	Battambang Provincewas coined as the rice bowl of Cambodia due to the region's fertile fields.^[15]
China	Sichuanhas historically been known as the "province of abundance" ( cá mễ chi hương ) due to its historical agricultural prowess. The regions on the banks of theYellow RiverandYangtze Riversuch asHenan,southernJiangsuandZhe gian ghave also been known for their rich fertility. Northeast China(officially the three provinces ofHeilong gian g,JilinandLiaoning), particularly the colder northern region, was once known as the "Great Northern Wilderness" ( vùng hoang dã phương Bắc ) due to its scarcity of population beforemass migrationofHan Chineseinto the regionduring the late 19th century.However, during theJapanese occupationand thepuppet state Manchukuo,farming proliferated to feed the Japanese military provisions. After the establishment of the People's Republic of China, further migration and population growth ensued during the latter half of the 20th century, andindustrial farmingis practiced extensively over the region's fertileblack soil,turning the Northeast into the "Great Northern Granary" ( Bắc đại thương ) that produce many times the crop yields needed for local consumption.
India	Uttar PradeshandPunjabalong withHaryanais considered the breadbasket of India.^[16] West BengalandUttar PradeshandAndhra Pradeshalong withTelanganaare said to be the "rice bowl" of India.^[17]^[18]
Indonesia	The plains ofJavaare considered the rice bowls of Indonesia.
Korea, South	TheHonamregion, which is most commonly defined byJeolla Province,has been considered throughout the peninsula's pre-divided history and is considered the breadbasket of the country due to its agricultural significance and geographical fertility.^[19]Notably, the region is home to the renownedJeonju Bibimbap.^[20]^[21]^[22]
Korea, North	The plains defined byHwanghae Provinceare considered the breadbasket of the nation due to its geographical significance.^[23]
Malaysia	Kedahis considered the rice bowl of Malaysia, accounting for about half of Malaysia's total production of rice. In 2008, the government of Kedah banned the conversion ofpaddy fieldsto housing and industrial lots to protect the rice industry.
Myanmar	TheIrrawaddy Deltain Myanmar used to be one of the most important sources of rice in the region until its production declined due to various reasons, including the country's unstable political situation.
Pakistan	ThePunjab provinceis considered the breadbasket ofPakistan.^[24]
Philippines	The province ofNueva Ecija,found onLuzonisland, is considered the ricegranaryof the Philippines because of the vast tracts of land used for rice production. The island ofMindanaois known as the country'sfood basket.^[25]
Syria	TheAl-Jaziraarea in northwesternSyria,and itsEuphratesbasin is considered the country's breadbasket due to its abundance of wheat.
Thailand	TheChao Phrayadelta is considered the rice bowl of Thailand.
Vietnam	TheMekong deltain Vietnam is considered the country's rice bowl.

Europe

State	Breadbasket / Ricebowl
Bulgaria	Southern Dobruja,a fertile plain region in Bulgaria's northeast between theDanubeand theBlack Sea,is commonly considered the country's breadbasket.^[26]^[27]
Cyprus	The central plain calledMesaoriasurrounding the capitalNicosiahas long served as the island'sgranary.
Finland	The regions ofSouthwest FinlandandUusimaa,have the warmest climatic conditions in continental Finland and fertile soil thanks to their southern location, making them the breadbaskets of Finland.^[28]
France	TheBeauceplains are considered the breadbasket of France.
Germany	East Prussiawas considered as the breadbasket of theGerman Reich.^[29]
Hungary	TheHungarian Plainhas produced significant amounts of grain and maize. In the early 20th century, 34% of Europe's total maize production and 11% of the European flour production was grown in Hungary.
Ireland	The eastern half of Ireland is the traditional breadbasket of the country, with the western part being used forpasture.^[30]In the 18th and early 19th centuries, Ireland was itself the breadbasket of theUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,with Irish grain feeding Britain's industrial cities while Irish peasants subsisted onpotatoes.^[31]This would lead to theGreat Famineof the 1840s.^[32]^[33]^[34]
Latvia	Semigalliais considered the breadbasket of Latvia.
Portugal	TheAlentejois a flat and fertile region because it is located between theTagusandGuadianarivers. Due to this and its proximity toLisbon,it has been considered “the breadbasket of Portugal” for centuries.^[35]^[36]Already in a document from 1639, written by DonAgostinho Manuel de Vasconcelos,the "Province of Alentejo" is described as "the most fertile granary of that Kingdom."^[37]In 1833, the writer DonJosé Muñoz Maldonadopublished a book about thePeninsular Warin which he also described "the fertile province of Alentejo, called the breadbasket of Portugal for its abundance."^[38]
Romania	In the 19th century, Romania was considered part of Europe's breadbasket.^[39]
Russia	There is theCentral Black Earth Regionin Russia proper.
Serbia	Vojvodinawas considered the breadbasket of Serbia. About 70% of its agricultural products are corn, 20% industrial herbs, and 10% other agricultural cultures.
Spain	Historically, the southern region ofAndalusiahas been considered "the breadbasket of Spain."^[40]^[41]The conquest of Andalusia not only marked the success of theReconquista,but also provided theHispanic Monarchywith the most fertile and productive agricultural region in Iberia: theGuadalquivir Valley. With the well-deserved nickname of thegranero de España,the accession of the great Andalusian valley meant the assurance of cereal supplies, especially wheat, but also olive trees, vineyards, orange trees, sugar cane, etc.^[42]to which corn, strawberries, lemons, rice, etc. would later be added. In 1826,Alexandre de Labordecomments: «Andalusia is so abundant in wheat that it is rightly called "the breadbasket of Spain," in terms of harvesting twice as much as its consumption. Andalusia produces many exquisite wines, which is why they are regarded as the most valuable winery in Spain (...) In the kingdoms ofGranadaandSevillethe vines are quite abundant (...) The olive harvest is so rich as prodigious in thefour kingdoms of Andalusia.»^[43] In irrigated lands, the orchards of Valencia and Murcia also stand out, since it has always been said that in Spain there were only two orchards, that ofValenciaand that ofMurcia.The autonomous community ofCastile and Leónhas also been considered the breadbasket of Spain, since large quantities of cereals are grown on its lands, mainly in addition to vineyards and legumes. Almería, with itssea of plastic,is considered the “garden of Europe”.
Slovenia	In the 18th century, there were plans to drain theLjubljana Marshand transform it into the breadbasket ofCarniola.^[44]^[45]
Sweden	Scaniais considered the breadbasket of Sweden. The yield per unit area is higher than in any other region in Sweden and the soil is among the most fertile in the world. The Scanian plains are an important resource for the rest of Sweden since 25–95% of the total production of various types of cereals come from the region.
Turkey	Aegean Region,Marmara RegionandCentral Anatoliaare considered the breadbasket of Turkey.Aegean RegionandMarmara Regionare famous for cultivation of olive trees, fruit cultivation and vegetable cultivations.Central Anatoliais famous for grain cultivation as such as wheat, maize, sunflowers and barley.
Ukraine	Ukraine has long been known as the breadbasket of Europe.^[46]When it was part of theSoviet Union,it had been known as the breadbasket of the Soviet Union.^[47]
United Kingdom	TheEast Angliaarea of theEast of England,Southeast England,East Midlands,West Midlands,Yorkshire and the HumberinEnglandandScottish Lowlandsare sometimes referred to as "Britain’s breadbasket" where a combination of climate, landscape and soils are well suited to growing wheat.East Angliaarea of theEast of Englandin 2010 is sufficient to produce 5,774 million loaves of bread.^[48]In mediævalWales,the Isle ofAngleseywas so considered, that alone it can "provide a requisite quantity ofcornfor all the inhabitants ".^[49]

The Americas

North America

In Canada, a major grain-growing area is called theCanadian prairies.Sometimes the province ofSaskatchewan,also known for producing a huge supplement ofpotash,is further singled out from within this region as the main breadbasket of Canada.

In the United States, an important region is theCorn Belt,where maize and soybeans are major crops, which generally extends from theGreat Lakessouth throughMissouri.^[50]Further to the west in both the United States and Canada, east of theRocky Mountains,is theWheat Belt,where the climate is too severe for maize or soybeans.^[51]

The Palouse region of Eastern Washington state is often referred to as the Breadbasket of the Pacific Northwest, due to its high production of cereal wheat and lentils.[1]

During theCivil War,theShenandoah Valleywas known as the Breadbasket of the Confederacy.^[52]

Additionally, theSan Joaquin Valleyin California has also been called the breadbasket of the world.^[53]The San Joaquin Valley produces the majority of the 12.8% of the United States' agricultural production (as measured by dollar value) that comes from California.^[54]Grapes—table, raisin, and, to a lesser extent, wine—are perhaps the valley's highest-profile product, but equally (if not more) important are cotton, nuts (especially almonds and pistachios), citrus, and vegetables. 70% of the world's and 100% of the U.S. supply ofalmondscomes from the valley. Oranges, peaches, garlic, tangerines, tomatoes, kiwis, hay, alfalfa and numerous other crops have been harvested with great success. According to the 2002 Census of Agriculture's ranking of market value of agricultural products sold, nine of the nation's top 10, and 12 of the top 20, producing counties are in California.^[54]

South America

Brazilis the second biggest grain exporter in the world, with 19% of the international market share, and the fourth grain producer country (rice, barley, soybeans, corn and wheat) behind the United States, China and India.^[55]Brazil is also the top global exporter ofsoybeans,sugarcane,orange juice,coffee,poultry,beef,maize,and the second biggest exporter ofporkandcotton.The country also has a significant presence as producer and exporter ofrice,wheat,eggs,cocoa,beans,nuts,and diverse fruits and vegetables.

During the 19th and 20th centuries,Argentinawas known as thebreadbasket of the world,due to the importance that agriculture had, and still has, in the country. Argentina's cereal cultivation is found in thePampasregion, which encompasses the provinces of Buenos Aires, Santa Fe, Córdoba and La Pampa. Within this region, many cities, such asPergamino,Venado TuertoandRosario,are one of the most fertile areas in the continent. Some of the plantations includesoybeans,maize, wheat,barley,sunflowerand peanut, among others.

In the 19th century, access to the Californian and Australian markets made wheat export a very lucrative activity, leading to theChilean wheat cycle.^[56]In the mid-19th century, those countries experienced largegold rushes,which created a large demand for wheat.Chilewas at the time the "only wheat producer of some importance in the Pacific".^[57]

Oceania

Australia

TheMurray-Darling Basinis seen asAustralia's breadbasket, being the source of 40% of the nation's agricultural income, a third of the wheat harvest, 95 percent of the rice crop and other products such as fruit, wine and cotton.^[58]

New Zealand

WhenNew Zealandbecame aBritish colony,the fertile lands produced food that would be shipped back to England, causing New Zealand to become colloquially known (occasionally along with Australia) as Britain's breadbasket, subsequently leading to theDunedinbeing the first ship to complete a truly successful transport ofrefrigeratedmeat. She was refitted with a refrigeration machine with which she took the first load of frozen meat from New Zealand to the United Kingdom.

References

^Than, Ker (3 May 2012)."Scientists Race to Save World's Rice Bowl From Climate Change".National Geographic.Archived fromthe originalon 26 February 2021.Retrieved18 April2023.
^Bryce, Emma (8 May 2013)."Wildlife forced out of California 'salad bowl' by food safety regulations".The Guardian.Retrieved5 August2013.
^Kaplan, Sheila."Salinas, California: The Salad Bowl of Pesticides".Politics Daily.Retrieved5 August2013.
^ For example:Ukrainein 1941–1944 duringWorld War II: Snyder, Timothy(12 October 2010). "The Economics of Apocalypse".Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin.New York: Basic Books (published 2010). p. 161.ISBN 9780465002399.Food from Ukraine was as important to the Nazi vision of an eastern empire as it was to Stalin's defense of the integrity of the Soviet Union. Stalin's Ukrainian 'fortress' was Hitler's Ukrainian 'breadbasket.' [...] Hitler wanted Ukraine 'so that no one is able to starve us again, like in the last war.'
^^a ^b Woetzel, Jonathan."Will the world's breadbaskets become less reliable?".McKinsey & Company.Retrieved12 March2021.
^Julia Horowitz (12 March 2022)."War has brought the world to the brink of a food crisis".CNN.Retrieved1 April2022.
^Lynch, Colum."U.N. to Keep Beasley at WFP as Food Crises Roil the World".Foreign Policy.Retrieved1 April2022.
^McDonough, Siobhan (27 February 2022)."What the Russian invasion of Ukraine could mean for global hunger".Vox.Retrieved1 April2022.
^Nicas, Jack (20 March 2022)."Ukraine War Threatens to Cause a Global Food Crisis".The New York Times.ISSN 0362-4331.Retrieved1 April2022.
^Good, Keith (21 March 2022).""Global Food Crisis" Possible- – "No Precedent Even Close to This Since World War II" • Farm Policy News ".Farm Policy News.Retrieved5 April2022.
^Luján, Néstor[in Spanish](1988).Historia de la gastronomía(in Spanish) (2nd ed.). Debate. p. 62.ISBN 978-84-17636-48-7.
^"South Africa: Accommodation: Free State".28 March 2006. Archived fromthe originalon 28 March 2006.
^"Overberg & Whale Coast Touring Map: Overberg... The Breadbasket of South Africa".thegeoshop.co.za.Archived fromthe originalon 29 September 2010.
^"From Breadbasket to Dustbowl".13 April 2005.Retrieved1 January2018.
^"Farmer-focused partnership leads to improvement, innovation of Cambodia's rice sector".
^"India takes blow to the breadbasket".The National.13 June 2010.Retrieved11 September2020.
^"Most Crucial facts about Andhra Pradesh (The Rice Bowl of India)".Jagranjosh.6 January 2016.Retrieved8 May2021.
^"Reviving Our Rice Bowl: Bengal Farmers Preserve 200+ Traditional Rice Varieties".The Better India.3 January 2020.Retrieved11 September2020.
^"The Seoul Times".theseoultimes.Retrieved5 February2021.
^"JEONJUCITY BLOG".JEONJUCITY BLOG.14 February 2017.Retrieved5 February2021.
^Chung, Kyung Rhan; Yang, Hye-Jeong; Jang, Dai-Ja; Kwon, Dae Young (1 June 2015)."Historical and biological aspects of bibimbap, a Korean ethnic food".Journal of Ethnic Foods.2(2): 74–83.doi:10.1016/j.jef.2015.05.002.ISSN 2352-6181.
^"The Story of Jeonju Bibimbap".koreatourinformation.20 March 2014.Retrieved5 February2021.
^Gi, Jang Seul (10 September 2019)."Typhoon Lingling ravages North Korea's breadbasket".Daily NK.Retrieved5 February2021.
^"Pakistan flood: Sindh braces as water envelops southern Punjab".Guardian.6 August 2010.Retrieved20 July2013.
^Anonymous (15 October 2015)."Fruits of peace".The Economist.Retrieved30 October2019.The Philippines is the world's third-leading exporter of bananas. Three-quarters of the country's production of the fruit comes from Mindanao, long known as the Philippines' food basket.
^Vatahov, Ivan (23 August 2001)."Drought leads to low yields in Dobrudja".The Sofia Echo.Sofia Echo Media Ltd.Retrieved20 September2015.
^Duijzings, Ger (2014).Global Villages: Rural and Urban Transformations in Contemporary Bulgaria.Anthem Press. p. 110.ISBN 9781783083510.
^"Elinkeinoelämä".Regional Council of Southwest Finland. Archived fromthe originalon 2 June 2016.Retrieved7 August2016.
^Einst Deutschlands Kornkammer: Neusiedler haben keine Beziehung zum Land,Ostpreussen-Warte, 1960
^"Food, feasting and folklore".independent.ie.5 September 2016.
^Halloran, Amy (26 June 2015).The New Bread Basket: How the New Crop of Grain Growers, Plant Breeders, Millers, Maltsters, Bakers, Brewers, and Local Food Activists Are Redefining Our Daily Loaf.Chelsea Green Publishing.ISBN 9781603585682– via Google Books.
^bairishstudies (12 January 2016)."The Eighteenth-century Celtic Tiger".
^Bourke, Angela (10 April 1991).The Field Day Anthology of Irish Writing.NYU Press.ISBN 9780814799079– via Google Books.
^Pickering, Paul; Tyrell, Alex (1 August 2000).The People's Bread: A History of the Anti-Corn Law League.Bloomsbury Publishing.ISBN 9780567204974– via Google Books.
^"Guía de Portugal: Região do Alentejo".Guia da Cidade(in Spanish).Retrieved5 April2024.
^"Alentejo".Interreg España-Portugal: Eurorregión AAA (Alentejo-Algarve-Andalucía).Retrieved5 April2024.
^De Vasconcellos, Agostinho Manuel (1639).Vida y acciones del Real Don Iuan el Segundo, Decimotercio de Portugal(in Spanish).Madrid:Imprenta de Maria de Quiñones. p.315.
^Maldonado, José Muñoz[in Spanish](1833).Historia Politica y Militar de la Guerra de la Independencia de Espana contra Napoleon Bonaparte desde 1808 a 1814, escrita sobre los documentos autenticos del gobierno(in Spanish).Madrid:Imprenta de D. José Palacios.
^Sheilah Kast and Jim Rosapepe,Dracula Is Dead(2009) p 104
^Walsh, William Th (1 November 1993).Isabel de España(in Spanish). Palabra. p.122.ISBN 978-84-8239-837-2.
^Cabañas Agrela, José Miguel (2016).Breve historia de Cervantes(in Spanish). Ediciones Nowtilus. pp.148.ISBN 978-84-9967-789-7.
^Lara Sánchez, Francisco (1984).Población y sector primario en la Andalucía franquista(in Spanish). Servicio de Publicaciones, Diputación Provincial de Málaga. pp.99.ISBN 978-84-505-0251-0.Andalusia has sometimes been defined "as the orchard and granary of Spain", due to its rich crops of cereals and olive trees, vineyards and orange trees, sugar canes, etc. In the early fifties, the weight of Andalusian agricultural production was extremely important for the Spanish economy.
^Laborde, Alexandre Louis Joseph (1826).Itinerario descriptivo de las provincias de España: su situación geográfica, poblacion, historia civil y natural, agricultura, comercio, industria, hombres célebres y carácter y costumbres de sus habitantes(in Spanish). Libr. de Cabrerizo. pp.493.
^Melik, Anton. 1959.Slovenija: Geografski Opis,vol. 2, part 3. Ljubljana: Slovenska Matica, p. 187.
^Vidic, Marko. 1987. "Agrarna revolucija."Enciklopedija Slovenije,vol. 1, pp. 20–21. Ljubljana: Mladinska knjiga.
^Ukraine's fraught relationship with Russia: A brief history.The Week. March 8, 2014
^Verbyany, Volodymyr; de Sousa, Agnieszka (20 June 2021)."One of the Most Fertile Nations Wants to Feed the World".Bloomberg.Retrieved15 August2022.
^"Farming in East Anglia".nfuonline.National Farmers' Union. 16 May 2016.Retrieved30 August2020.
^The Description of Wales– via Project Gutenberg.so could the Isle of Mona (Anglesey) provide a requisite quantity of corn for all the inhabitants: on which account there is an old British proverb, "Mon mam Cymbry," that is, "Mona is the mother of Wales."
^"Corn Belt Region, United States",Encyclopædia Britannica,retrieved21 July2016
^"Wheat Belt Region, North America",Encyclopædia Britannica,retrieved21 July2016
^""Our once beautiful but now desolated Valley"".Shenandoah at War.Archived fromthe originalon 8 March 2021.Retrieved17 March2021.
^"EB5 Northern California – Breadbasket Of The World".eb5northerncalifornia.Retrieved1 January2018.
^^a ^b"Agricultural Statistical Review"(PDF).California Agricultural Resource Directory 2008–2009.6 April 2009.Retrieved17 March2021.
^"Brazil is the world's fourth largest grain producer and top beef exporter, study shows".Embrapa.Retrieved6 February2024.
^(in Spanish)La Hacienda (1830–1930).Memoria Chilena.
^(in Spanish)Villalobos, Sergio;Silva, Osvaldo;Silva, Fernando and Estelle, Patricio. 1974.Historia De Chile.Editorial Universitaria,Chile. pp. 481–485.
^"The Murray-Darling Basin: A catchment in crisis".Special Broadcasting Service.17 September 2007.Retrieved12 October2008.^{[permanent dead link]}