Over half of surveyed farmers oppose rice acreage reduction policy+

TOKYO, July 7 Kyodo -
More than half of the farmers in a recent survey expressed opposition to the
government's policy of cutting rice acreages to adjust supply of the staple,
the farm ministry said Tuesday.
The survey found that 38.7 percent of respondents would like the government to
ease the policy to give farmers greater leeway, while 13.1 percent said the
policy should be abandoned, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
said.
In contrast, 45.9 percent said the policy should be either reinforced or
maintained as is.
Among consumers in the same survey, 35.4 percent called for an end to the
policy while 32.8 percent said the government should maintain the policy, the
ministry said.
Conducted between May 25 and June 19, the survey received valid responses from
around 9,500 farmers and farming organizations, and 3,600 consumers and
consumer groups.
The ministry will take the survey findings into account when it works out
guidelines for agricultural policy reform in August.
==Kyodo
2009-07-07 23:01:31