The number of dairy farmers in Japan has fallen to below 10,000 as higher feed costs erode income. The Japan Dairy Council says that as of October this year, the ranks of dairy farmers have fallen almost 6 percent year-on-year. The 9,960 total of such workers is the lowest since 2005, when the data started to be collected. A council survey found almost 60 percent of these farmers were losing money on their operations. The organization queried more than 230 operators in September about their business performance. The agriculture ministry has cited shrinking incomes as the reason for the decline. A survey conducted by the ministry shows production costs that dairy farmers paid in 2022 rose about 18 percent from the average for the preceding 10 years. Dairy farmer income shrank 60 percent compared with the 10-year average, even though revenue has remained flat. The ministry is considering ways to pass on higher farming costs into the prices of dairy products.
◆erode むしばむ、侵食する to gradually reduce something such as someone’s power or confidence
◆year-on-year 前年（同期）比で
◆lose money on 赤字を出す
◆query 質問する、尋ねる
◆preceding 先行する、その前の
◆remain flat 横ばいの状態のままである