Instead, the pair produce products more customized to their environmental and labor conditions—products in ravenously high demand globally. New Zealand’s ultra-mild climate makes it the world’s most efficient dairy, timber, and fruit producer, with cow paddocks, industrial forests, and orchards crowding out less profitable wheat fields. Similarly, Egypt grows cotton and citrus for export rather that wheat for local consumption. Both countries export their ag products for top dollar, and then import cheaper foodstuffs—like wheat—that they could have grown themselves had global agronomics pushed
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