Day 242 - 29 Apr 96 - Page 22

     
     1        whatever?
     2        A.  Yes.
     3
     4   Q.   I think the final thing on this series of documents is
     5        pages 62 and 64.  If you look at page 64, the second to
     6        last paragraph on the right-hand side ---
     7        A.  Yes.
     8
     9   Q.   -- talking about soil erosion?
    10        A.  Yes.
    11
    12   Q.   There is a whole paragraph there, if you just read it to
    13        yourself?
    14        A.  Yes, I have.
    15
    16   Q.   It concludes:  "The grand total regarding soil erosion may
    17        be 680 million tons a year with grazing", I cannot read
    18        that word; I have the original here,"areas contributing 84
    19        per cent".
    20        A.  Yes.
    21
    22   Q.   That would be something you would accept?
    23        A.  That is my understanding.  That is the inevitable
    24        consequence of using land which is unsuitable for pasture
    25        for that purpose.  That was cattle expansion overspilling
    26        into land of low use capability, which is not suitable,
    27        which has thin topsoil, low yield of grasses, and is
    28        subject to erosion after two or three years of the hooves'
    29        action on the topsoil.
    30
    31   Q.   If you look on page 62, the middle paragraph starting, "The
    32        most serious soil erosion", yes ---
    33        A.  Yes.
    34
    35   Q.   -- it says:  "The most serious soil erosion is encountered
    36        on land in ... those with undulating to hilly relief.
    37        These 21 per cent are largely concentrated in the Pacific
    38        region".
    39        A.  Yes.
    40
    Q.   Would you accept that?
    42        A.  Yes, that is common sensical because there is no
    43        erosion on flat land.
    44
    45   Q.   OK.
    46
    47   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  I would like you to finish in-chief, if you
    48        can, and then we will have our break.
    49
    50   MR. MORRIS:  I have literally about one or two questions left. 
    51        (To the witness):  There is a comment that most of 
    52        McDonald's farms were established in the 1950s, the ones 
    53        that supply McDonald's.  That was made by Edi Bensilum in
    54        her statement not taken as read.  Bearing in mind, if that
    55        be true, that most of McDonald's farms which supply
    56        McDonald's in Costa Rica were established in the
    57        1950s  -----
    58
    59   MR. RAMPTON:  "If it were so" is probably the right way of
    60        putting it.