Question

Another major agricultural region in China is the Chang River valley. This is a major cotton-growing region. Cotton grown here is made into textiles, or cloth. The center for China’s textile industry is in Shanghai. This is a large city on the Chang River.

Finally, the crop for which China may be most famous is tea. China was the first nation in the world to grow tea.

Mongolia has very little arable land (land suitable for agriculture). However, it has more livestock per person than any other country in the world. Mongolia’s major agricultural activity is grazing animals. However, farmers here also grow wheat, potatoes, barley, and fodder. Fodder is the food fed to livestock when grazing is not possible.

In North Korea, 18 percent of the land is arable. This percentage is high for East Asia. But it is still low compared to most other areas of the world. Agriculture in North Korea is limited mainly to rice and other grains. This is because the country does not get enough rainfall to grow other crops.

South Korea is flatter, warmer, and rainier than North Korea. So it has a greater agricultural output. The major crops grown in South Korea include rice, root crops, barley, and fruit.

On Taiwan, the island’s mild climate makes it good for a variety of warm-weather crops. Taiwan’s main crops are rice, yams, sugar cane, bananas, pineapples, and citrus fruits.

Less than 13 percent of Japan’s land is suitable for farming. Yet it has a large population to feed. As a result, Japanese farmers have had to become the most efficient in Asia. The country’s yield per acre is the second-highest in the world. Japanese farmers supply about 70 percent of their nation’s food needs. Rice is Japan’s main crop. Other crops include vegetables, fruits, meat, and dairy products.

Think About ItSuppose you are a farmer. You have been offered a choice between two farms. One is in the hills, the other on the coastal plain of an island.

Which factors should you consider before making your choice?
Practice 8: Agriculture

Choose the letter of the correct answer to each of the following questions.

Which of the following help make South Asia an important farming region?
plentiful rainfall
long growing seasons
alluvial soil
all of the above
What is the major crop grown in the Deccan Plateau of India?
rice
wheat
cotton
all of the above
Which countries are major producers of natural rubber?
India and China
Malaysia and Indonesia
Laos and Cambodia
North Korea and South Korea

Answer 1

Think‑about‑it (farmer choosing hill vs. coastal plain)
Consider: soil fertility and depth, slope and erosion risk, drainage and flood risk (coastal plains may flood or have saline soils), rainfall and climate (growing season length, temperature), risk from storms/typhoons and saltwater intrusion, access to irrigation and fresh water, crop suitability, market/transport access, labor availability, and cost/land tenure. Choose the site that best matches the crops you plan to grow and minimizes environmental risks.

Practice 8 answers
1. all of the above (plentiful rainfall, long growing seasons, and alluvial soil all help make South Asia important for farming)
2. cotton (the Deccan Plateau is known for cotton production)
3. Malaysia and Indonesia (they are major natural rubber producers)