Saitama

Saitama is located in the center of the Kanto region plain, with the Arakawa and Tonegawa river systems flowing through the prefecture. The annual average temperature is about 15℃, and the annual precipitation is about 1,300 mm. In winter, a dry northwest wind called "karakkaze" blows, while summers become hot and humid. In the plateau areas where the Kanto loam volcanic ash soil spreads, well-drained farming zones suitable for cultivating root vegetables and green onions are formed. Due to its geographical advantage of being adjacent to the Tokyo metropolitan area, the transportation distance to the Tokyo Metropolitan Central Wholesale Market is short, and it has developed as an urban-fringe production area for items requiring freshness, such as leafy vegetables. The area around Fukaya City and Honjo City in the northern part of the prefecture is a major production area for green onions, and the total green onion production of the prefecture reaches 48,500 tons (ranked 2nd nationally). In the southern part, multiple varieties of vegetables such as Komatsuna, spinach, and Broccoli are cultivated, and the large number of items is a characteristic of Saitama agriculture.

Source: MAFF Crop Statistics (Reiwa 5 / 2023), JMA historical weather data

Agriculture in Saitama is sometimes described as a "multi-item, small-volume production" model. Because it is adjacent to a consumption area of about 37 million people across one metropolis and three prefectures, a system is in place to ship a variety of vegetables in short cycles to meet market needs. The breadth of having green onions, spinach, Broccoli, Komatsuna, and Turnip all ranked 2nd nationally or higher is an advantage distinct from production areas specialized in a single item. In recent years, Broccoli production has increased, and when its addition to the designated vegetables list was decided in 2024, Saitama garnered attention as a major supplier prefecture.