-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I would say that it depends, on a case-to-case basis, upon a large number of variables.
However, I do believe that once pop has increased to a certain level, it will always be more economical to be self-sufficient.
POP6 should be high enough but there'll always be those variables.
Somewhere between low POP5 & high POP5 is where I would place the tipping point, all things being equal, but then there's always all those variables.

--------------------------------------------
On Tue, 8/30/16, Christopher Sean Hilton <xxxxxx@vindaloo.com> wrote:

 Subject: Re: Fun facts: Was: [TML] CT: "Far" companions...
 To: xxxxxx@simplelists.com
 Date: Tuesday, August 30, 2016, 9:32 AM

 On Tue, Aug 30, 2016 at
 04:07:24PM +0000, Phil Pugliese (via tml list) wrote:
 >
 > I don't see the
 lack of an 'ag' rating to mean that a system
 can't
 > feed itself.  In fact, I
 believe the vast majority do just that.  It
 > could be argued that 'ag' worlds
 are something of an anomaly in an
 > ultra
 Hi-Tech setting such as the TU.
 >

 Good point! I may have become
 too much of a 'foodie' in my old
 age.

 Out of
 curiosity, do you see a clearly defined place where the
 line is crossed. E.g. does an xS006xx-t vacuum
 world have vast
 hydroponic gardens, a high
 tech waste recycling and reclaimation
 facility, or does it have a combination of
 local nutrition supplies
 that only works if
 it also imports a significant fraction of it's food
 supply?

 I'm assuming that going to space in the
 Third Imperium is commercial,
 not
 exploratory, venture. So for a large fraction of the
 workforce on
 that vacuum world, eating long
 term like today's astronauts will be a
 economic non-starter. Having said that, there
 could be other factors
 motivating the
 workforce to say.

 --
 Chris
 -----
 The Traveller
 Mailing List
 Archives at http://archives.simplelists.com/tml
 Report problems to xxxxxx@simplelists.com
 To unsubscribe from this list please goto
 http://www.simplelists.com/confirm.php?u=EwREIRgLK8vaUEhNlnoNdSGKwnjoID8a