1.2.5 Marketing
organisation
That effect may be partly explained by marketing conditions
Competition may be more intense for the younger stands, and it is possible
that more active marketing might improve returns to the grower from
coppice of all ages. It seems that coppice marketing is not yet well
organised, and improvements in this might be to everyone's long term
advantage.
1.2.6 Coppice cutting skills
Suspicion lurks in the minds of some that many coppice cutters are not
as skilled enough. They work inefficiently, and may even cause some damage
to stools. Competitive pressures might be expected to encourage
efficiency, but to prevent stool damage and subsequent losses in
productivity, it might wise for owners to impose conditions on sales.
1.2.7 Value of coppice as game cover
Coppice has a value for shooting as cover for pheasants. Indeed it is
said that coppice 2-3 years old provides as good pheasant cover as it is
possible to get. Sporting interests may pay farmers up to £500/ha (£200/ac)
to plant pheasant cover on set-aside land, which gives a measure of the
value for shooting which can be attributed to hazel coppice, even though
the value before and after that optimum age falls off (and becomes largely
worthless after about age 15 years). The location of the coppice in
relation to the other woods also affects its value for game cover.
1.2.8 The availability of grants
Finally, no allowance has been made so far for grants. Approved
environmental work may be eligible for a Forestry Commission management
grant of £35/ha. Eligible work might include mowing rides, culling deer
or encouraging access (although the latter two may conflict).
1.2.9 Conservation benefits
Coppice is an ancient practice, sufficiently old to have developed an
associated flora and fauna of great conservation value. To the extent that
an owner is interested in conservation, this may be an additional private
benefit.
1.3 Markets in the future
It is important to consider the future, whatever the present marketing
conditions of hazel.
1.3.1Risk of market collapse
Ancient though the practice of coppice is, the market for coppiced
material collapsed earlier this century, which is one reason why so much
has been cleared for agriculture and much of the rest is derelict. There
is therefore a suspicion that this may happen again, and that coppice
should be regarded as a high-risk enterprise. That might be understandable
in the mind of someone thinking of turning land over to hazel, but for a
complete picture the risk attached to alternatives should be also be
appraised.
1.3.2 Prospects for alternative land uses
It is widely considered that reforms to Common Agricultural policy
will lead steadily to reduced profits from arable farming (though this has
yet to be seen), and long term undertakings like oak crops are far from
proof against future market fluctuations. Moreover, those with coppice are
going to find it increasingly hard to put the land to any other use, and a
more appropriate attitude may be to try and make the best of the crop,
while endeavouring to avoid future market collapses How might that be
done?
1.3.3 Developing economic strength
A number of the suggestions in the last section for improving the
hazel economy seem relevant, because the healthier the economics of an
activity, the less likely it is to collapse. Thus it might be wise to
promote technical and management skills and market intelligence widely
among those in the industry, and also to continually seek out fresh
markets to promote diversity as a kind of insurance policy.
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