Agricultural Production of Each Category
Rice
Rice growing in Saitama is developing with various ideas making use of the conditions of each land. For example, zones of early
delivering rice that is able to be delivered
in August and double-cropping belts of rice
and wheat that make the best use of rice
fields.Gross rice product in Saitama is approximately 45.3 billion yen in 2001 and makes up 22.9 percent of gross agricultural product in the prefecture. Saitama is addressing the issue of improvement of quality of rice growing in our prefecture, enlargement of production of rice high quality rice, and so forth through the campaign for growing delicious rice in Saitama, while corresponding to consumers' demand for tasty rice.
Wheat,Barley,and Soybeans
As a major producer of cereals, Saitama ranks 7th in the nation (2002-production year). Cereals increase the utilization of rice paddies and are important
crops in Japan's efforts to increase its self-sufficiency in foodstuffs.Furthermore, we hope that the switch to private enterprise for distribution will enable the expansion of production and increase the quality of the already highly reputable wheat and barley in Saitama.
Soybeans are important as a rotational crop, as most of the prefecture's soybeans are grown in paddy fields. Expansion of the production of soybeans is a motif in Japan's struggle to increase its self-sufficiency in foodstuffs.Most of the soybeans of Saitama are planted it rice fields and are one of the important products in terms of utilizing rice fields efficiently. In Saitama, not only expansion of planted area by group farming but also development of profitability with improvement of productivity and high additional value are encouraged.
We are planning to expand the area of planted land by relocating individual lots to one centralized area. We are also promoting the production of a more “sellable” crop of soybean, which will meet the needs of buyers, by raising the yield, quality, and homogeneity of the crop and encouraging the collective sale of the harvest.
Vegetables
The following is data of vegetables production in Saitama. Planted area
is 15,309 hectares, and production is 384 thousand tonness. Gross vegetables
product was 82.4 billion yen in 2001 and was ranked as the seventh highest
in the whole country. It accounts for no less than 42 percent of gross
agricultural product in Saitama.Main vegetables-producing areas are eastern Irima that is famous for taro and spinach, Osato for Welsh onions and broccoli crop, Kodama in which many tomatoes and eggplants are harvested.
Recently competition among producing areas is getting intense because of development of countrywide circulation, increase of imported vegetables, etc. and the difersification of consumers needs including their demand for healthy food.
Therefore, Saitama is encouraging the reduction in costs by enhancing efficiency of farming and develop producing areas of organically grown vegetables, corresponding to consumer demand.
Cucumber Sorting Facility (Hanyu City)
Flowers and Garden Plants
Saitama is regarded as a prominent production region for flowers and
garden plants. 1,561 hectares of its land (7th largest in Japan) is used
for growing flowers and garden plants, amounting to an annual 27.1 billion
yen gross product (5th highest in Japan).(Both statistics are for the year
2000).Production of flowers and garden plants in Saitama is represented in the north by cut flowers from bulbous plants, especially in Fukaya City, and in the south by the well-known Angyo garden plants. Although due to the recent gardening boom, many potted flowers and seedlings for flowerbeds are also being produced.
Attention is being drawn to garden plants and flowers' social role, such as in horticultural therapy and in providing some relief from the “urban heat island effect” (higher temperatures in urban areas) by developing gardens on rooftops. Effort is being devoted to the development of these new roles for garden plants and flowers.
Fruit Trees
Although Saitama's fruit production centers on nashi pears, a variety of other fruits are also cultivated.There are 2,436 hectares
of land used to produce 19,151 tonnes of fruit in Saitama. Nashi pears
account for about 70% of Saitama's fruit production, being the 9th largest
producer of nashi pears in the country (2001).Other than nashi pears, Saitama produces chestnuts, grapes, ume plums, persimmons, yuzu citrus and sumomo plums.
Recently the cultivation of new fruits such as blueberries, prunes and apricots has emerged.
Tea Leaves & Special Products
Sayama Tea, a specialty product of Saitama, is grown in the western region
of the prefecture mainly in the cities of Iruma, Tokorozawa, and Sayama.
In 2002, there were 1,240 ha of Sayama Tea under cultivation, which produced
939 tons of tealeaves.Also, the production of the two specialty products, silk cocoons and devil's tongue, in the mountainous and hilly northwestern region of the prefecture is characterized by the way farmers take advantage of the climate and soil conditions.
Stookbreeding
Stockbreeding is a major sector of agriculture in Saitama, along with vegetable and rice production. The gross product for the sector was 37.2 billion-yen in 1999, ranking Saitama 23rd in the nation.In recent years, there has been a movement in the livestock industry to cut production costs through expansion. Also, increasing numbers of livestock operations are producing distinctive highly value-added products.
More and more administrative groups in the livestock industry have been constructing petting zoos and facilities for farmers' markets in order to take advantage of the fact that Saitama is a major consumer of livestock products in addition to being a major producer of the same.
Fisheries
Fisheries in Saitama can be divided into aquaculture and riverine fisheries. Main fishes of aquaculture in Saitama are ornamental ones such as goldfishes and nishiki carp, and Saitama is one of the famous prefectures for them in Japan.Edible fish such as catfish and gnathopogon caerulescens (Honmoroko fresh water fish from the carp family) are also being produced in Saitama using the water-filled rice paddies.
In regards to river fisheries , 10 fishery cooperatives are responsible for the management of fishing areas, such as rivers, lakes, marshes and ponds. These cooperatives are also aiming to increase the range of fish breeds in these areas.
Recently, the popularity of fishing as a leisure activity has developed amongst the citizens of Saitama.
