SCAPIN-962: PRODUCTION, DISTRIBUTION, AND USE OF FERTILIZERS
GENERAL HEADQUARTERS
SUPREME COMMANDER FOR THE ALLIED POWERS
APO 500
17 May 1946
AG 464.6
(17 May 46)
ESS/IN
(SCAPIN-962)
| MEMORANDUM FOR | THE IMPERIAL JAPANESE GOVERNMENT. |
|---|---|
| THROUGH | Central Liaison Office, Tokyo. |
| SUBJECT | Production, Distribution, and use of Fertilizers. |
1. In view of the serious shortage of fertilizers in Japan, the Imperial Japanese Government is directed to take immediate action to accomplish the following:
a. Commercial Fertilizers:
(1) Increase present production and assure rapid and continuous increase in future production of all commercial fertilizers. Your actions will include immediate coordination of all governmental agencies to assure that the following are effected:
(a) Prices: Establish and maintain prices which will be fair and equitable to both producers and consumers. In no case will production be curtailed because of price differences.
(b) Raw Materials: Allocate and deliver to all plants concerned, sufficient quantities of coal and other raw materials to assure full use of production facilities now and in the furture.
(2) In connection with repairs and conversions of nitrogenous plants, you are directed to:
(a) Effect rapid repair and conversion of approved plants through immediate determination of requirements, and prompt location, delivery and installation of needed equipment. Approved plants are those appearing on the attached annex to this Memorandum. Repair and conversion of nitrogenous plants other than those listed will not be undertaken except by authority of General Headquarters, Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers.
(b) Submit to General Headquarters, Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers within three (3) weeks of receipt of this directive two (2) lists of equipment and materials required for repair and construction, as follows:
1. All items which are required to significantly increase nitrogenous fertilizer production in 1946 in plants already operable, and which cannot be obtained from sources available to Japanese public or private agencies.
2. All items, other than those listed as directed above, which are required to effect complete repair and conversion of approved plants, and which cannot be obtained from sources available to Japanese public or private agencies.
b. By-product Manures:
(1) Present utilization of by-product manures will be maximized.
(a) By-product manures are defined as barnyard manures, composts, green manures, night soil, and other sources of plant food such as wood ashes, garbage, and commercial wastes which can be used as fertilizers.
(2) You are directed to submit within three (3) weeks of receipt of this directive lists of equipment and materials not presently available which are necessary to expedite increased utilization of by-product manures. Information which justifies the need will be shown to support each requirement.
(3) Collection and delivery of night soil from the cities to the farms will be expedited.
c. General measures to increase the production, distribution, and use of fertilizers:
(1) Movement of fertilizers from production plants to farms will be expedited.
(2) Conservation measures will be inaugurated to insure that minimum losses occur in the handling, storing, transportation, and application to crops of commercial and farm-produced fertilizers.
(3) Special consideration will be given to distribution of fertilizers to areas of greatest need.
(4) An energetic educational program using all available means for disseminating information to the farmers on the production and efficient use of farm-produced fertilizers will be instituted immediately. This program will stress the necessity for using the best known methods for applying and using commercial and farm-produced fertilizers to growing crops for obtaining maximum crop yields.
2. You are further directed to submit semi-monthly fertilizer reports to General Headquarters, Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers. These reports will include a description of actions taken by the Imperial Japanese Government on each phase of the fertilizer program listed above. The initial report will include a plan showing what actions will be taken by the Imperial Japanese Government to implement the increased production of commercial and farm-produced fertilizers. The reports will cover fifteen (15) day periods and will be submitted within one (1) week after the first and fifteenth of each month.
FOR THE SUPREME COMMANDER:
B.M. FITCH,
Brigadier General, AGD,
Adjutant General.
1 Incl:
List of Plants Approved for Manufacture Nitrogenous Fertilizer
MEMO FOR RECORD: (SCAPIN - 962)
GTW/rzc
16 May 1946
1. Memorandum to Imperial Japanese Government, file AG 464.6, subject "Production and Use of Fertilizers". The Problem; To secure maximum production, equitable distribution, and most efficient use of all types of agricultural fertilizers in Japan.
2. Facts bearing on the problem. At the present time the need for maximum production of food crops in all parts of the world, including Japan, is great. There is also a critical shortage of fertilizers in world supply and particularly of nitrogenous fertilizers.
3. Japan's soil has been depleted of its fertility by centuries of cropping. The production of war materials required many of the same facilities that were normally used for nitrogenous fertilizers. Japanese industry, during the war years, was unable to meet the demand for both war materials and fertilizers and fertilizer production suffered.
4. At the present time Japan’s soil is so deficient in plant nutrients that this year's crop will be very short unless fertilizers are made available in sufficient quantities. Part of the need can be met by use of farm manures, night soil, and other organic waste, however, these will not meet the total need, and commercial fertilizers are required to make up the deficiency.
5. During the years of 1941 to 1945 the consumption of commercial fertilizers in Japan proper fell lower than during any five year period between 1926 and 1940.
6. At the present time the principal factors hampering the production of commercial fertilizers are lack of raw materials and run-down or damaged condition of the factories.
7. Investigation reveals that there are thirty one suitable factories whose combined production at maximum capacity will be two million metric tons of ammonium sulphate, or equivalent, per year. This production will be sufficient to meet present needs.
8. Manufacturing costs and ceiling limitations have been a detriment to the increased production of chemical fertilizers.
9. Conclusion. It is concluded that:
a. Factories should be selected and designated to the Japanese so that raw materials and needed repairs can be concentrated in those factories.
b. The Japanese should be directed to:
(1) Allocate necessary raw materials, including coal, and repair parts to selected factories, and to report any needed items which are not at present available in Japan.
(2) Maintain close surveillance over prices paid to manufacturers and to farmers to insure widest distribution and maximum production of commercial fertilizers.
(3) Use every means available to educate the farmers in conservation and proper use of farm manures and other types of natural fertilizers.
10. Implementation. A proposed directive implementing the above conclusion-is outlined in directive referred to in paragraph 1. Directive was drawn up with concurrence of SCAP Fertilizer Committee and has been concurred in by Chief of Staff and Allied Council.
G. T. W.
