In recent years, the economic problems facing farming families in the Urakawa area have mounted. Causes include the liberalization of farm product markets, a slump in the market for dry field products, government-imposed cutbacks in rice production, and increased competition in the production of light breed horses (in the Hidaka area). Given these conditions, the importance of scrutinizing the various limiting factors affecting crop and product choices for farmers who are aiming for maximum efficiency of agricultural land use can be argued. Bearing these conditions in mind, this paper will examine statistically changes in agriculture and agricultural land use patterns in Urakuwa since 1982. The following conclusions were reached.
1) Within the areas under the jurisdiction of the Hidaka administrative offices, the effects of the cutbacks in rice production continue to be felt in the 1990s. Because of this, the relative importance of light breed horse production has increased, resulting as well in a significant increase in the mumber of thoroughgreds and a gradual decrease in the number of Anglo-Arabian breeds. However, in Urakawa, the percentages in both directions have decreased, indicating that light breed horse production has peaked out.
2) While the number of head of Anglo-Arabians has decreased in the Urakawa area, the increase in the number of thoroughbreds has been greater than that of the Ogifushi area. In Ogifushi, the decrease in the number of Anglo-Arabians has been less than that of Urakawa.
3) In Urakawa, the number of farming households has decreased since 1981, while the average amount of cultivated land per household has increased. This is because of the reduction of paddy land and the increased amount of land used for feed grasses. This conversion from paddy land to feed grass land has been more pronounced in Urakawa than in Ogifushi. This tendency marks a reversal of that found in the previous survey.
4) In the area of the lower reaches of the Motoura River, more light breed horse farms are located in gravelly alluvial areas than in peat bog areas. Moreover, the transition from paddy land to pasture land has reached its limits.

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About two years have passed since Nayoro Main Line of JR local line stopped being in service and changed into bus transportation system. Having been located on this line, Mombetsu City has suffered the damage of its image as an urban city, though the direct economical damage has been restrained.
Afterward, the area around former Mombetsu Station is going to be redeveloped with “Okhotsk New City Master Projdct”, yet the discussion among the designers, the existing city planning sides and the consumers is not enough.

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