Marketing Sturdy on the Rice Food System

1998 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 09660236
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Agro-economics
• Research Institution: Utsunomiya University
• Principal Investigator: TAMASHIRO Masayuki Utsunomiya Univ.faculty of Agriculture, Professor, 農学部, 教授 (70008001)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): KATO Koji Utsunomiya Univ.faculty of Agriculture, RAA, 農学部, 助手 (40261820) ; HARADA Jun Utsunomiya Univ.faculty of Agriculture, Lecturer, 農学部, 講師 (30241847) ; AKIYAMA Mitsuru Utsunomiya Univ.faculty of Agriculture, Lecturer, 農学部, 講師 (10202558) ; TSUYA Yoshito Utsunomiya Univ.faculty of Agriculture, Professor, 農学部, 教授 (20107014)
• Project Period (FY): 1997 – 1998
• Keywords: RICE / FOOD SYSTEM / MARKETING / MARKET STRUCTURE / STAPLE FOOD LAW / JA

Research Abstract

There are not clear distinctions among the constituents of the rice food system such as collector, shipper, wholesaler and retailer. Moreover, marketing ties between these constituents are compound with each other. Therefore we can say that the rice food system is not single but complex channel, However, it is possible to catch the rice food system as six composite systems consisting of (1) producer direct sale system, (2) JA direct sale system, (3) major wholesaler system, (4) small and medium size wholesaler system, trading company system and (6) JA Group system from a point of main marketing constituent. Though the rice food system of these six will exist while repeating restructuring by internal or external competition and partnership in the future, it will be major wholesaler system, trading company system and JA group system to form axis of the rice food systems.
At present JA group system establish strong collect system by it's organizational power, what' s more, it' s position as a leader of the rice food system is retained by various aid of the government, However, it becomes difficult that JA group retains the position of market leader, as long as joint marketing system which set strengthening sale force is not rebuilt. Because organizational power of JA group lowers with the wide combination and integration of agricultural cooperative and the ald of government not always continues forever and it is Inevitable that major wholesaler and trading company promote direct coupling and partnership with local agricultural cooperative. Needless to say, it is the marketing strategy of mass sale shop who occupy the first ranking in the end part of rice marketing channel that induces structural changes of the rice food system.