Britain's uncertain future in the international hop market

Abstract

The total world area devoted to production of hops is only 88 000 hectares, but it is nevertheless a crop of considerable economic importance because of the demands of the brewing industry. This dependence creates problems arising from changing tastes among beer-drinkers and new techniques of fermentation. Hop-growing is, therefore, a very competitive business, as is exemplified here by an analysis of the causes of the present plight of the British industry.