JAPANESE FARMERS HAVE HARD LIFE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 90, Issue 165, 18 July 1946, Page 9

JAPANESE FARMERS HAVE HARD LIFE

From the points of view of the surface of the land, climate, and soil Japan may be classified as one of the poorer agricultural countries. About 75 per cent, of the country is hilly and mountainous, the slopes of which are usually too steep or too thin for ordinary cultivation. Because the mountain regions occupy the central and greater part of the country, there are no extensive plains as are found in continental countries. The typical plains of Japan are mainly narrow, coastal lowlands.

With regard to climate there is enough rain on the whole to meet the needs of Japanese agriculture, but the soils do not possess a high degree of natural fertility. In fact, the greater part appears to be inferior. Nearly all the soils are deficient in nitrogen, and only by very careful attention to the needs of each particular soil situation can large production be obtained. Nevertheless large crops are grown. With many people on little land, the fields of Japan are cultivated intensively. They are treated more carefully than many a garden in other parts of the world. Although handicapped with poor soil in many districts, the farmers by intensive application of labour and abundant application of fertilisers achieve high yields per acre. Two successive crops are grown each year on a large part of the land. The fact, that recently 5,492.000 farm families cultivated 14,896.000 acres indicates that, the size of the farm unit is small, averaging 2.7 acres. The low standard of living of the vast majority of farmers explains in part at ’ least, why the country’s small cultivable acreage can support such a large number of people engaged in farming.