Economy of Hergom
The economy of Hergom spans a variety of economic sectors across Hergom.
Agriculture
United Farming Policy
History
Over the past three decades, Hergom's agricultural sector has significantly transformed to meet the growing needs of the Wolgos and now emancipated humans, both groups numbering over 260 million inhabitants. Prior to human emancipation, Hergom's agriculture was geared solely to meet the high protein needs of the Wolgos, with humans being left to subsistence farming in marginal lands and low-technology farming in the Phula and Alutea regions.
Three decades ago, the vast majority of agricultural output was directed towards producing animal feed, with minimal grains such as oats, rye, and wheat used for low-grade human rations. The Wolgos used the Bhrudhan and Peleykros regions to produce many of their non-animal-derived staples, such as root vegetables, oats, and other produce. Animal grazing was the cornerstone of Wolgos agriculture, with extensive ranching expanses producing large volumes of animal products. Slavery, though not a universal practice affecting all humans in Hergom, allowed the nation to focus predominantly on the needs of the Wolgos. Only the largely Gahnam and Chalam regions retained much of their traditional agricultural dynamism, albeit at subsistence and rustic levels, producing legumes and grains that are stable for these peoples.
The abolition of slavery and the introduction of paid labour for humans marked a significant turning point in Hergom's agricultural sector. This transition not only provided humans with purchasing power but also transformed them into significant commercial consumers. As a result, the market dynamics shifted, driving an industrial boom as newly empowered human consumers influenced the types of produce available and demanded a greater variety of products to satisfy their traditional diets.
With human consumerism now becoming a facet of the economy, there has been a substantial expansion of crop growing for human consumption and improvement in the efficiency of human held farmlands. The demand for a wider variety of grains, flours, and other products to meet human demands has led to a growth not only in farming of human staples but in a boom in food processing industries for human foods. Sorghum, millet, beans, peas and lentils which are staple grains for the Gahnam and Chalam communities, have seen a substantial rise in production. In 7689 alone, Hergom produced four million tonnes of sorghum and 3.8 million tonnes of millet. Wheat production in the Vatama highlands has also surged to meet the growing demand for non-wolgos bread amongst the human population.
The rapid increase in grain production has had beneficial side effects for Wolgos staples. The growing availability of wheat chaff and other grain waste has enabled the Wolgos to expand the fungi industry beyond forested areas into industrial facilities which have reduced their costs and grown the availability of fungi.
Livestock Farming Practices
Traditionally, pastoralism and ranching were key components of Wolgos agriculture that dated to the Bind and Old Dhonowlgos. These practices involved extensive grazing in expansive fields, where animals such as aurochs, pigs, boars and deer were raised in free range enviroments. Smaller animals such as hares and poultry were raised in small scale coups. However, the ever-increasing demand for animal products since the inception of Hergom, driven by the growing Wolgos population has lead for the past seventy years to the Wolgos adapting high intensity animal farming.
Factory farming in Hergom has replaced most traditional ranches and pastoral fields with large-scale industrial operations designed to maximise output. Tribal agroindustrial conglomerates have coallesed their members small holders into large cooperatives with syncronised practices and specialsation, Most small holders have transition away from grazing to growing high biomass yield varieties of buckwheat, rye, and giant tymothi grassto produce silage and feed for cooperative industrial animal pens.
Micro-livestock: The Wolgos have for milennia engaged in the rearing of arthropods and rodets as a source of protein, devoting extensive areas for copicing wood for grubs and reusing waste grain and sillage for rodents. Modern agroforestry practices use high growth varieties of willow to create giant copice plantations, producing a harvest every two years to supply the prefered source of feed Naesslor beetle grub farms. The Naesslor grubs, rich in protein, are no longer raised in wind driven and ventilated barns but in highly efficient warehouses with controlled climate and humidity for optimal growth and productivity. These grubs are typically harvested to be sold alive to consumers but practices such as chilling have become commonplace to meet the needs of the Wolgos population.
Grain spoilage of human farms, which was once considered waste, has found a new purpose in factory farming. Enormous mice and rat farms have been established to capitalize on this resource. Grain spoilage is used to feed these mice, which are bred and raised in high-density environments. Both adult mice and baby mice are popular food items for the Wolgos, who consider them a delicacy. Baby mice, in particular, are favoured as snacks, reflecting the diverse dietary preferences of the Wolgos population. Rat meat is typically mechanically recovered to produce patties and nuggets.
High-Density Livestock production: Most of the livestock in Hergom no longer comes from open fields but from countless of hectares turned to high-density pens. These pens are designed to house large numbers of livestock such as aurochs, pigs, boars and deer in high density confined spaces. The pens are often serviced by nearby sillage and feed farms who also benefit from the copious ammounts of manure produced. These farms are often reponsible for runoff pollution and algae blooms in the many rivers of Hergom. Sheds for poultry and a variety of other small animals are common, they are very large facilities feed by the same feed farms as other livestock.
Dairy Industry
Hergom's dairy industry stands as the largest in Gotha, producing an astounding four hundred million tonnes of milk anually. This volume accounts for almost sixty percent of the global milk production yet only a small portion is exported to Ombhrosdhom Commonwealth Treaty members. The Wolgos who have a strong preference for heavy and rich dairy products have develop dairy auroch varieties with a higher fat content making most wolgos milk comparable to light cream, The wolgos favor milk with fat content of atleast ten percent.
Although not dairy, blood products are considered part of the dairy industry as hey are harvested without killing cattle, aurochs are bleed at scheduled intervals to extract blood that is then stabilised and sold chilled for consumers to warm and consume.
In addition to fresh milk, Hergom's dairy industry processes large quantities of milk into a wide range of dairy products to satisfy the Wolgos market. The array of products includes yogurts, whey drinks, flavoured milk, kumis, creams, and cheeses. Each of these products caters to different tastes and culinary traditions of the Wolgos.
Yogurts and whey drinks are specially popular among the Wolgos. Whey is considered as refreshing drink to be drunk for hydration or as an alternative to water. Yogusts are seldomly sweetened with sugar, Wolgos fuit flavoured yogust are typically only sweetened by the fruits natural sugars and may seem a tad tart to human tastes.
Flavored milk has become a popular product, often flavoured with cranberries, strawberries, cucumber, chamomile, mint, passion fruit, banana or mango. The most popular flavours are those of temperate berriers, mint and tart passion fruit. The Wolgos find sweetened human yogurts and milks wholly unpallatable. Kumis, a fermented dairy drink, is also produced in large quantities. Kumis has a slightly alcoholic content that is often fortified with distilled grain spirit to produce a highly alcoholic and popular version.
Creams, butter and cheeses are essential components of the Wolgos diet. The high-fat milk used in their production results in rich, flavorful creams and a wide variety of cheese. The wolgos produce soft cheeses and frsh butter along with more robust aged cheeses and fermented butters, they are partial to aging cheese with molds and with maggots.
Animal Welfare
The high dependence on animal products and the efficiency of the livestock industry in Hergom have come at a significant cost to animal welfare from a human perspective. The Wolgos, given their unique psyche, treat animals in a purely instrumental manner. As such, Wolgos livestock farms can be nightmarish by human standards. The Wolgos are unconcerned with the perceived welfare of animals, focusing solely on maximising productivity.
Abattoirs in Hergom, while providing comparatively modest wages, are romanticised as desirable jobs for younger adult Wolgos men. The Wolgos in these jobs typically relish the killing of animals and see it as form of entertainment, making it one of the jobs with highest workr satisfaction.
Foreign animal rights organisations that have witnessed Wolgos abattoirs are appalled by the sadistic enjoyment Wolgos workers appear to take in their roles, and by the the harsh conditions animals endure in most indistrial farms. The treatment of animals in these facilities is often brutal, with little regard for their suffering but foreign concerns are largely incomprehensible to the Wolgos.
Energy
- Main article: Energy production in hergom
Hergom's approach to energy production is characterized by large-scale industrial efforts that prioritize economic growth and energy efficiency over environmental preservation. The biogas industry relies heavily on expansive fields of giant kelp, which cover millions of hectares along the coast. These fields are meticulously managed by agricultural rigs, leading to significant ecological disruption. The continuous harvesting of kelp for methane production not only depletes underwater flora and fauna but also generates nutrient-rich waste, causing harmful algae blooms. These blooms create hypoxic conditions that suffocate marine life, demonstrating the Wolgos' disregard for the coastal ecosystem in favor of industrial advancement.
In addition to biogas, Hergom has developed a robust nuclear industry, initially focused on weapons production but now significantly diversified into civilian energy production. Thorium, preferred over uranium for its safety and sustainability, powers the country's major nuclear plants, such as the Gelwathra power plant, which produces 32 gigawatts of energy. This nuclear capacity supports a wide range of applications, including small reactors for high-reliability train engines, enhancing transportation across Hergom. Despite adhering to the non-proliferation treaty, the Wolgos maintain a strong focus on nuclear weapons production, ensuring their defense capabilities remain formidable.
Hydroelectric power also plays a crucial role in Hergom's energy strategy, with thousands of dams across the country harnessing the extensive river networks and mountainous valleys. The largest projects, like the Kildhra Dam, generate vast amounts of electricity but at significant environmental and social costs. The diversion of rivers such as the Haratovana has led to severe ecological disruption and the collapse of local agriculture, particularly affecting neighboring regions like Mantharavati. The combined impact of these energy production methods underscores the Wolgos' relentless pursuit of industrial growth, often at the expense of environmental sustainability and the well-being of affected human communities.
Mining
- Main article: Natural resources of Hergom
Heavy manufacture
Light industry
Technology
Services
- Main article: Media in Hergom
| Wolgos Sub-species | |||||
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Physiology topics: Wolgos Psyche - Wolgos Development From Birth to Adulthood - Death for the Wolgos - Wolgos Sexuality - Wolgos Masculinity - Wolgos Womanhood | |||||
| Historic and current Nations of the Wolgos | |||||
| Dhonowlgos | The Bind | Hergom ep swekorwos | United New Kingdoms | ||
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| ~3000 CE - 7505 CE | 7508 CE - 7603 CE | 7608 CE - Present | |||
| History & Geography |
History of Dhonowlgos: History of Dhonowlgos - Stained Era - Era of Rising Lilies
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| Politics & Economy |
Dhonowlgos Politics: Politics - Foreign Relations
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| Society & Culture |
Dhonowlgos Society: Monuments - Society - Brochs of Dhonowlgos
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| History & Geography |
History of The Bind: History - Geography - Military - Science - Brochs of The Bind
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| Politics & Economy |
Politics of The Bind: Politics - Military - Administrative Divisions of the Bind
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| Society & Culture |
Society in The Bind: Brochs of The Bind - communication in The Bind - Demographics
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| History & Geography |
History of The United New Kingdoms: History
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| Politics & Economy |
Politics of The United New Kingdoms: Politics - Military
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| Society & Culture |
Society and Culture in The United New Kingdoms: Wolgos Culture in the UNK - Demographics - Humans of the UNK
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