FORMING PROCESS OF DAIRY REGION IN THE SOUTHEASTERN GUNMA PREFECTURE

Abstract

In this paper the auther has analysed the forming process of dairy region from the point of historical development of milk industry, which includes such businesses as the milker, milk bottling plant and dairy farming. With the development of commercial agriculture, six stages of milk industry were classified in this region as follows. First stage (1870-4900); The milk industry composed of the milkers only. These milkers were engaged in keeping dairy cattles, bottling and selling milk in a small scale. As dairy cattle husbandry was one of the attractive businesses for investment in this stage, the samurais, former warrior class before Meiji restoration, had established Akagi Bokujo by obtaining a fund from the government in 1875. Second stage (1901-1920); The milkers were still the core of the milk industry, but with the development of local society, the difference in milker's scale became greater between city and rural areas. The transference of dairy cattles from the milkers to farmers means the primitive differentiation of milk industry. The farmers who kept dairy cattles Tended these to the milkers. Third stage (1921-1938); Dairy farming was started with the establishment of milking association in rural areas. The milking association of farmers were engaged in processing and selling milk, but most of these failed in selling milk with competition of the milkers and unbalance of milk production and demand. Changing of milk processing methods, the milkers were classified into two groups. One group established the milkplant to gather milk from milking association, the other borrowed dairy cattles from farmers like as second stage. Fourth stage (1939-1947); A local milk manufacturing plant was established with the development of dairy farming. Advancing the world war II, the milk industry was controlled in regional criteria so that milk was gathered two new incorporated plants at Maebashi and Isesaki. Thus milkshed of these plants expanded from local area to regional area. Fifth stage (1948-1954); With the solution of old regulation systems after end of the war and the increasing popularity of dairy farming among farmers, the dairying co-operatives were established in coring the milking association. Then regional milkshed was divided with the establishment of meadiam extra capital of fluid milk distributors. On the other hand the milkers converted to small milk bottling plants. Sixth stage (after 1955); Appointing the intensive dairy region, this region was included in Tokyo metropolitan milkshed with the advancement of big milk manufacturing capitals. In this consequence large herding of dairy cattles were progressed in full-time farmers. The milkers were directed two ways. One was school milk bottling in combination of local society, the other was milk wholesaler or retailer belonging to big milk distributors. In sixth stage this dairy region has been re-formed and grasped with the monopolistic milk manufacturing capitals ; Advancement of big milk manufacturing capitals with expansion of Tokyo milkshed has been developing large herding of dairy cattles. Then milk production in dairy farms has taken most significant part in combining compound management. At the same time inter-farm combination has occured in coring dairy farms with specialization of f arm-ing in this region.