Igusa Farmers in Kumamoto Struggle after Powerful Quake

Yatsushiro, Kumamoto Pref., Aug. 18 (Jiji Press)–Last month’s major earthquake that struck Kumamoto Prefecture, southwestern Japan, dealt a heavy blow to farmers of “igusa” rush grass. In Yatsushiro, a Kumamoto city which accounts for about 90 pct of igusa production in the country, work sheds were destroyed in the earthquake. Kotaro Oiwa, a 39-year-old igusa farmer in the Senchomachikogade district, screwed up his face while staring at his work shed that was devastated by the earthquake. The tremblor occurred when he was about to start processing harvested igusa into tatami mats. All five of his looms were crushed in the destroyed shed. Some 2,000 bags of igusa remain in a storage room without being processed. “I’m worried about my income,” he said. Oiwa produces three types of igusa, including the high-quality “Hinomidori” brand, at his paddy of some 1,500 square meters. This season the climate was suitable for igusa. “It’s a shame because (the produce) was especially good,” he said. He aims to buy a new loom to process the harvested igusa but he is uncertain when he will be able to rebuild the shed. Also troubling him are water supply cuts due to the earthquake. August is usually the time when farmers start planting seedlings in a paddy. But the amount of water in an irrigation canal remained below half of the levels needed. The situation could affect planting next year. “I hope the water comes back to the normal level soon,” he said, with an anxious look. Kazuya Tomoeda, 55, an igusa farmer in the Senchomachishinmuta district and a member of the Yatsushiro city assembly, had two of his four looms damaged in the earthquake. Custom-made, the looms cost 2 million yen to 3 million yen each. He had spent some 12 million yen to restore his looms and dryers, which were damaged by heavy rain that hit Kumamoto last year. The earthquake struck when he had debts of 6 million yen. Tomoeda said that aging farmers without successors especially face challenges in terms of continuing planting. He is considering establishing a system in which multiple farmers plant igusa jointly to maintain the amount of produce. The situation is also affecting wholesalers. The president of a company that sells tatami mats made with 100 pct Kumamoto-produced igusa, said: “We only have stocks that’ll last for a few days. We’ve been dealing with the situation by raising prices by some 20 pct.” There are some 200 igusa farmers in the prefecture, with many in Yatsushiro, the town of Hikawa and the city of Uki, all hit hard in the earthquake, according to an agricultural cooperative in Yatsushiro. The full extent of the damage to the industry remains to be seen. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]