VOA标准英语2013--High Tech Cotton Gin Offers Secure Future for Farmers

 

High Tech Cotton Gin Offers Secure Future for Farmers

Olam International, a leading global integrated supply chain manager, that has been active in Mozambique for 15 years, announced this year, the construction of its first state-of-the-art roller cotton gin.

The company, which is engaged in processing and packaging agricultural products and food ingredients, has been helping¹ farmers to produce a variety of sustainable crops that offer a guaranteed income.

One of its most important efforts is promoting the production of cotton.  Olam said it is continuing to make progress toward its goal of increasing local production of the commodity in rural areas of Mozambique. 

“In cotton, we partner with farmers, teach them best farming practices, provide them support, and provide them a ready market to buy back the crop that they produce.  Much of the farming of cotton happens in deep rural areas, and therefore, getting cash on the spot, to support the farmer is one essential necessity, simply because the banking² system does not extend that efficiently,” explained MD Ramesh, regional head of east and southern Africa at Olam. 

While the company provides services to farmers, it is ultimately the farmer’s responsibility to produce the cotton.

“Most of them work on small sectors³ of land on which they produce the cotton, and we buy it back and take it to our cotton gins.  We already have three gins in Mozambique, and this is actually our fourth.  It’s in a place called Beira -- where we plan to support about 10,500 farmers,” said Ramesh, who added, “the newest gin should be up and running towards the end of this year.” 

The east and southern regional head of Olam noted⁴ that farmers benefit economically through the market that the company offers for cotton production, and by having the cotton gins in areas close to where they farm.

“We also support them through providing logistics and supply chains after the harvest is completed.  [That] means all they have to do is just use our support, use the seed that we provide them, use the agronomical⁵ practices that we teach them, so that they pull in the best practices and produce the cotton,” said Ramesh.

Because Olam bears the brunt of the expenses, there is very little financial burden on the farmer, and he or she is able to focus more on the actual growing of the crop. The new cotton gin now under construction will offer thousands more farmers the opportunity to have a steady flow of income.

“Specifically to the Beira gin, the 10,500 farmers would have approximately 1 ? to 2-million dollars in advance against buy- back of the crop. They have the support, they have a buy-back, and they have a fixed⁶ price that is pre-decided before the season begins. The farmer has to put in his hard work and produce the cotton,” explained Ramesh.

He also pointed⁷ out that Olam’s goal is to have cotton increase farmers’ incomes – by making it easier to grow along with other crops.  The cotton gin is an important part of making that goal a reality:  Olam officials say farmers in Mozambique will be able to reap the rewards of the goods and services of the new state-of-the-art gin for the next 25-30 years.

1 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

2 banking   

n.银行业，银行学，金融业

参考例句：

• John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。
• He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。

3 sectors   

n.部门( sector的名词复数 )；领域；防御地区；扇形

参考例句：

• Berlin was divided into four sectors after the war. 战后柏林分成了4 个区。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Industry and agriculture are the two important sectors of the national economy. 工业和农业是国民经济的两个重要部门。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

4 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

5 agronomical   

参考例句：

6 fixed   

adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的

参考例句：

• Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？
• Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。

7 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。