A Crisis on the Horizon

In truth, thanks to Franz's agricultural reforms and the massive investment in farm machinery and fertilizers, the Austrian Empire had seen its food production grow over the years.

If it weren't for the repeated natural disasters and explosive population growth in recent years, food production would probably already have exceeded demand.

Besides, Franz couldn't possibly stop Prussian and Russian grain from entering the Austrian market. Grain exports were the two countries' flagship products, and the surest ropes with which Austria could hitch them to its own wagon.

Meanwhile, the area of newly cultivated farmland continued to grow, and agricultural reform kept deepening. Over the next ten years, Europe's wheat yield per acre would double again, bringing the age of famine to an end.

In fact, the wheat hybridization project led by Father Mendel was constantly improving the crops. The new wheat yielded more, suffered fewer pests and diseases, and could adapt to its environment more easily.

But compared with hybrid wheat, Father Mendel preferred breeding other things, like watermelon that tasted like pumpkin or grapes that tasted like cucumber.

Taste mattered less to Father Mendel than yield. But to Franz, these things were far too sinister, so he hadn't offered much support.

Back to the point: grain from those colonies would only end up as horse feed in Austria. Worse, it might cause Austrian grain prices to collapse. Selling it to Britain, on the other hand, would bring in a fortune and earn a good reputation.

After all, Franz had sold grain to Ireland, but it was the British who bought it. The British were to blame, not Franz.

Aside from Britain, grain prices in France and Spain were soaring. Yet even Austria, with only a few colonies, could drive prices down. The world's first- and second-largest colonial empires had