Spatial-Temporal Variation in Crop Production in Republic of Ireland

The agriculture of any area is a very complex phenomenon. In this paper attention is focussed on spatio-temporal variations in the production of five crops iri Ireland?wheat, oats, barley, sugar beet and potatoes. The main trends observed over the period 1950-71 result from governmental decisions and advances in agricultural technology. Spatial variations in the intensity of the temporal trends have been due to physical and social factors. Important social and demographic factors have been the decline of the agricultural labour force, the gradual transformation of Irish rural society and. possibly, different evaluations of particular crops by farmers in different regions of the country. Since 1950 there has been some evidence of a trend towards greater concentration of production into primary producing areas, rather than towards diversification