Japan - a unique country in many respects, and in virtually all sectors of human activity the Japanese path of development different from any other.Is no exception and agriculture Japan.Despite the fact that the natural conditions in Japan are not conducive to the development of this type of activity, agriculture and animal husbandry has always been well developed here.To date, the share of agriculture in GDP in Japan is 2%, which is the background of industrialized powers is more than good, especially considering the fact that the neighboring Asian countries are quite capable to provide cheap agricultural products to Japan.However, this amount is not enough, and Japan is one of the largest food importers in the world.
The way agriculture develops Japan depends primarily on geography and historical features.Japan is located on the island of volcanic origin, and the proportion of arable and pasture land is very small.The area of land used for agricultural purposes, shall not exceed 15 per cent of the total area of the state.The main type of farms - small farms, where everything is in private ownership.Traditional Japanese food ingredients are rice and seafood, so the majority of agricultural producers is engaged in the cultivation of rice - its share is given over 80% of production.Livestock raising is poorly developed due to the fact that most of the protein foods prepared with seafood Japanese, so grazing land occupied a small part of the total area.Despite the fact that the recent increase in the consumption of livestock products is growing, the number of farms involved in this activity is reduced as much more profitable to buy these products from the neighbors, for example, in the same China.In addition, feed for livestock to be imported from abroad, and it also affects its profitability.
Thus, agriculture in Japan - it's mostly rice cultivation.Here it is different: for example, some farmers rice is much more expensive than later sold - this is due to the fact that they are actively and often unreasonably used ultramodern technology and information technology in agriculture (Japan ranks first in the use of high technology in theindustry), which inevitably affects the cost of the final product.However, these farms are not bankrupt and are able to develop further in view of the experience gained since the beginning with the post-war Japan's agriculture, especially rice cultivation, receiving full support from the state, and thus the demand for this product is fully covered by domestic production.
is also worth noting that Japan's agriculture - is not only the traditional cultivation of grain and vegetable crops and livestock: a fairly significant trend is the production of silk, for which a large part of agricultural land allotted to the cultivation of mulberry trees.This area is very profitable, because the Japanese silk is highly valued worldwide.
Another unusual trend in the agriculture of this country - the cultivation of pearls.Traditionally, off the coast of Japan, it extracted a lot of pearls, grown in a natural way, but in recent years have increasingly opened a farm specializing in breeding them.This kind of business brings considerable profit, and therefore becoming more popular.
Thus, the main distinguishing features, which has Japan's agriculture, are the small size of land, a high degree of introduction of high technologies, allowing virtually all professions in agriculture involve a high degree of training, the full support of farmers by the state, the traditional areas of activity andoften a small efficiency of small farms.
