Author Archives: The Japan Agricultural News

Visually tasty, sustainable choice for food containers

TOKYO, Oct. 16 – A growing number of fruit and vegetable producers are choosing paper containers for their products. In January 2021, FP Chupa Corporation, a Tokyo-based custom container manufacturer, introduced a new series of good-looking fruit and vegetable containers made of paper, successfully selling 500,000 already. The “Kami Vege” series packages (kami means paper in Japanese) are made of water-resistant paper and have holes to let some air through to keep the products fresh. There are four different sizes of black, red, and tomato-patterned versions, all with transparent windows. They are particularly popular among female farmers and fancy supermarkets. FP Chupa also released paper fruit trays in June this … Continue reading

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Freshly dug peanut plants dried on the fields in Chiba

CHIBA, Oct. 17 – This year’s harvesting and drying of peanuts started in Chiba Prefecture, Japan’s top producer of peanuts. In the city of Yachimata, a major peanut producing area in Chiba, so-called “bocchi,” heaps of upturned peanut plants, sit on the fields for drying. Having well-draining volcanic ash soil, Yachimata is suited for cultivation of peanuts which are resistant to dryness. The cold and dry wind that blows in the region in October helps add sweetness to peanuts. Production of peanuts is believed to have begun in Yachimata in 1896, as farmers in the area with scarce water resources were looking for items to replace paddy-field rice. Cultivation area … Continue reading

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interview: Cyprus emphasis on sustainable production and traditional food protection

H.E.Mr.Charis Moritsis, First Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus in Japan, located in the eastern Mediterranean, spoke about the agricultural situation in his country in an interview with the Japan Agricultural Newspaper. He stressed the importance of sustainable agriculture in light of the global rise in the price of food and production materials. ―Please could you introduce your native country of Cyprus It is an island country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea and a member state of the European Union. Surrounded by Europe, the Middle East and Africa, it is a hub for trade and international business. The main industries are finance and shipping, as well as tourism, being blessed … Continue reading

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Cattle from the Kyushu region dominate prizes at National wagyu beef competition

KAGOSHIMA, Oct. 12 – Representatives from Kagoshima and Miyazaki prefectures in the Kyushu region in southwestern Japan won the top prizes on Oct. 10 at the close of the 12th Zenkyo national wagyu beef competitive exhibition held in Kagoshima Prefecture, dubbed the National wagyu beef competition. Among those awarded the best prize in each of the nine categories in the five-day competition, held once every five years, the prime minister’s award for best cattle in terms of breed improvement went to Kagoshima, while Miyazaki scored the top prize for beef quality. It was the second time for Kagoshima to take the top spot for best breeding cattle after winning the … Continue reading

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Chagu Chagu Umakko returns to Takizawa, Morioka cities in Iwate Prefecture backed by Tokyo-based crowdfund

IWATE, Oct. 4 – “Chagu Chagu Umakko” is a traditional event to appreciate farm horses in Iwate Prefecture. For the past two years, it was canceled due to Covid-19, leaving a heavy burden on the horse owners. However, the event returned this year backed by a crowdfunding (CF) platform. “With or without the festivals, we must feed the animals. It costs 200,000 yen per month to feed one, and some colleagues had no choice but to sell the horses,” said Noboru Otsubo, an 84-year-old owner of 14 horses in Takizawa City. For every horse owner, it’s an honor to have his/her horses participate in the event, but the number of … Continue reading

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