0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000 7,000 8,000
1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020
Unit yields of major crops (kg/10a) in Tokachi
Wheat Potato Soy bean Adzuki bean Sugar beet
Sugar beet
Potato
kg/1000 m 2
Wheat
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800
1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020
Unit yields of major crops (kg/10a) in Tokachi
Wheat Soy bean Adzuki bean
kg/1000 m 2
Wheat
Number and cultivation area of farms in Tokachi
Farm number Cultivation
area
1965
1945
1925
1897 1990
Acreage (ha) Farm number
Why agricultural population decreased in Tokachi?
• Merit of large scale operation of agriculture.
• Necessary man power decreased, as
agricultural machinery was introduced.
• For efficient farm management, small farm lands had to be combined into a large field.
• Outflow of the excess labor force to
industrial, commercial, and civil service.
Sugar beet
Transplanting: end of April Harvesting: end of October Seeding in a vinyl house: March
October 26, 2020 May 8, 2020
Areas of sugar beet and potato cultivation in Tokachi
1965
1945
1925
1898 1990
1868
Sugar beet
Potato
Acreage (ha)
Contribution to sugar beet production
• Introduction of paper pot seedling and transplanting technique.
• Development of machineries for transplanting, field management, and harvesting.
• High yielding variety.
• Land improvement (amending soil acidity,
increasing soil fertility, improving the drainage of land).
• Development of infrastructures (road,
transportation, sugar beet processing factories)
Red bean (Adzuki bean)
Seeding: middle May Harvest:
early – middle October June 25, 2013 October 6, 2013
Contribution to red bean (Azuki) production
• High yielding variety
(Erimo variety since 1981)
• Special product of Tokachi due to high quality.
• High income for farmers.
Cultivated areas of pulses in Tokachi
Soybean Redbean Kidney bean
1965
19451925
1898 1990
1868
Green peas
Acreage (ha)
Wheat
Seeding: end of September – early October
Harvest: end of July
August 2, 2020 Early October
Contribution to wheat production
• Agricultural policy to support wheat production.
• High yielding and better quality varieties (Chihoku, Hokushin, Kitahonami).
• Low labor input.
• Connection with the dairy farming.
Areas of wheat, barley, oat in Tokachi
Wheat
Oat Barley
1965
1945
1925
1898 1990
1868
Acreage (ha)
Numbers of horses and tractors in Tokachi
1965
1945
1925
1898 1990
1868
Horse
Tractor
Number of horses / tractors
Number of dairy cows and areas of pasture and corn in Tokachi
Dairy cows
Pasture grass
Dentcorn
1965
1945
19251898 1990
1868Acreage for pasture and corn (ha) Number of dairy cows (heads)
Various soil problems in Tokachi
• Decreasing soil pH
• Imbalance in soil nutrition (Excess P2O5, decrease in Ca, Mg)
• Micronutrient deficiency (Cu, Zn, Mn, B)
• Deterioration of soil physical properties
• Soil erosion
• Water and land pollution by animal wastes
5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 5.9 6.0 6.1 6.2
1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014
pH(H2O)
Brown volcanic ash soil Black volcanic ash soil Lowland soil
Change in soil pH in Tokachi; normal Andosols, wet Andosols, and lowland soils. Data: Tokachi Federation of Agricultural Co-operatives.
Higher threshold
Lower threshold
100 150 200 250 300 350 400
1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Exchangeable CaO
Brown volcanic ash soil Black volcanic ash soil Lowland soil (mg/100g)
Change in exchangeable CaO in Tokachi; normal Andosols, wet Andosols, and lowland soils. Data: Tokachi Federation of Agricultural Co-operatives.
Higher threshold
Lower threshold
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Available P2O5（Truog）
Brown volcanic ash soil Black volcanic ash soil Lowland soil (mg/100g)
Change in available P2O5 in Tokachi; normal Andosols,
wet Andosols, and lowland soils. Data: Tokachi Federation of Agricultural Co-operatives.
Higher threshold
Lower threshold
Change in soluble Cu in Tokachi; normal Andosols, wet Andosols, and lowland soils. Data: Tokachi Federation of Agricultural Co-operatives.
Higher threshold
Lower threshold
