Gross farm output was worth 8.7979 trillion yen in 2015, 5.2 percent up over the previous year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF).
The gross agricultural production exceeded that in the previous year for the first time in three years due to price level rises not only of livestock products, mainly brought about by a shortage of wagyu (Japanese beef cattle) calf supplies, but also of many vegetables and rice in the market.
Behind an increase in the total value of farm output, however, quantity of agricultural production was reduced primarily because of a decrease in a number of producers, which warns that the Japanese farming sector should tackle an urgent challenge to strengthen the agricultural production base.
A value of livestock production in 2015 rose to 3.1179 trillion yen, 5.9 percent up over the previous year, and that of vegetable production also increased to 2.3916 trillion yen, 6.7 percent up, both of which made a major contribution to a boost in the gross agricultural production in the country.
An amount of total rice output, 1.4994 trillion yen, marked a 4.5 percent increase over the previous year for the first time in three years, because rice prices reached the end of their decline in 2015. However, the value of rice production in 2015 hit the second lowest level since 1989.
Rice is by far the most important crop in Japan. And it is still expected to be a major source of income supporting farmer’s household, but its value of production has been continuously stagnating at a lower level in recent years.