[Aarostotle]

I am not a farmer nor an expert.

My guess: Drier areas have fewer pests, less rain means there is less risk of flooding or crops washing away, and problems like mold or rot are rarer. Also, the sun is always shining. More photosynthesis means happier plants.

I hope someone here can share the details of the economics here. It's probably a very interesting cost-benefit analysis.

[mc32]

Historically these areas supported very low population densities so it wasn’t a problem.

The lab was fertile but arid: enter waterworks and irrigation. Great fecund farmland! For a few adventurous farmers.

And then came the droves upon droves upon droves of people who now live in what is arid but land of mild climate and desert land, but for artificial irrigation.

[bloudermilk]

Add to that: proximity to major ports for international distribution and no tornadoes or hail