JA Mergers Decreasing its Total Number

JAs are generally referred to as "multipurpose agricultural cooperatives," which are engaged in various activities such as credit (finance), mutual insurance, purchasing (supplies of production inputs and daily necessities), marketing (collection, shipment and sales of agricultural products), better farming guidance, processing of farm products, warehousing and operations of various facilities.

The term of "multipurpose" has been distinguishing those JAs from single-purpose agricultural cooperatives, which do not implement credit or mutual insurance business, but are specialized in marketing and farm guidance activities for particular commodity producers such as livestock farmers and fruit growers.

The total number of multipurpose JAs in this country has been decreasing since the late 1950s due to mergers of primary JAs aimed at streamlining and raising the efficiency of their business activities and financial management.

The total number of multipurpose JAs was 894 as of February 1, 2005. This means a decrease to less than one-tenth of the corresponding number, i.e. 13,314 as of March 1950. Merger among JAs has progressed, crossing over boundaries of administrative districts. One JA, on an average, covers an area falling under 3.2 municipalities as the number of cities, towns and villages are 2,832 as of January 2005.

Trends in the Number of Primary Multi-purpose JAs and Municipality

Sources: “Present Number of JAs etc.”, MAFF, “Municipality Directory“, Miniistry of Internal Affairs and Communications

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