Improvement in rice varieties and development of agricultural technologies had increased crop yields (especially rice which was the mainstay of the tax in the Edo period) and made it easier for peasants to earn cash.
米の品種改良や農業技術の進歩に伴い農作物（特に、江戸時代の税の柱であった米）の収穫量が増え、農民でも現金収入を得る事が容易になった。