Why does Zhejiang have relatively little arable land?

Zhejiang province has relatively little arable land primarily due to its hilly and mountainous topography. The majority of the province, located south of Hangzhou Bay, is characterized by rugged terrain that is a northeastern continuation of the mountain ranges of Fujian.12

Because of this landscape, only about one-fifth of the province's total land surface is suitable for cultivation. While plains and basins occupy roughly one-fourth of the total area, only a portion of that land is level enough for farming. Most of the available arable land is concentrated in the fertile alluvial plains of northern Zhejiang, specifically within the Yangtze River delta and along the Fuchun and Ou river valleys.12