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By Eliza Wood
A land of contrasts and contradictions - that's China.A group of pyrethrum growers and field staff have returned from a two-week agricultural tour of the country.And while checking out China's pyrethrum industry turned out to be a minor part of the trip, there was still lots to see.Tim Groom from Botanical Resources Australia says he was struck by poverty and wealth living side by side."China is people on pushbikes with huge loads, that you can't conceive that anyone could actually cycle with. Dad's riding the bike and Mum's behind pushing for extra speed and they're being passed by Audis and Mercedes," he said.Field officer Pip Loane said the pollution was overwhelming."It was absolutely everywhere depending where the coal power stations and the chemical factories were positioned. In some places you could basically taste the metals in the air," she said.But the ingenuity of the glasshouses used for growing everything from flowers to fruit trees was impressive, according to field officer Jess Eglitis."They have the ability to grow things during their winter time, especially where snow falls, because of specially designed, insulated greenhouses," she said.
In this report: Tim Groom, manager agricultural businesses, Botanical Resources Australia; Pip Loane and Jess Eglitis, field officers, Botanical Resources Australia.
A land of contrasts and contradictions - that's China.A group of pyrethrum growers and field staff have returned from a two-week agricultural tour of the country.And while checking out China's pyrethrum industry turned out to be a minor part of the trip, there was still lots to see.Tim Groom from Botanical Resources Australia says he was struck by poverty and wealth living side by side."China is people on pushbikes with huge loads, that you can't conceive that anyone could actually cycle with. Dad's riding the bike and Mum's behind pushing for extra speed and they're being passed by Audis and Mercedes," he said.Field officer Pip Loane said the pollution was overwhelming."It was absolutely everywhere depending where the coal power stations and the chemical factories were positioned. In some places you could basically taste the metals in the air," she said.But the ingenuity of the glasshouses used for growing everything from flowers to fruit trees was impressive, according to field officer Jess Eglitis."They have the ability to grow things during their winter time, especially where snow falls, because of specially designed, insulated greenhouses," she said.
In this report: Tim Groom, manager agricultural businesses, Botanical Resources Australia; Pip Loane and Jess Eglitis, field officers, Botanical Resources Australia.
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