Author Archives: The Japan Agricultural News

New agriculture minister attaches top priority on stabilizing supply-demand balance of rice

TOKYO, Oct. 7 – New agriculture minister Genjiro Kaneko said on Oct. 6 he places top priority on measures to ease the supply-demand imbalance of rice. In a media interview, Kaneko stressed that the ministry will come up with measures to cope with the issue as soon as possible. “We will respond to the issue swiftly under our basic policy of producing and selling rice according to demands,” he said. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida instructed him to deal with the issue as rice growers are put under a difficult situation amid a decline in prices of rice harvested this year, Kaneko said. He also said that the ministry will expand … Continue reading

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New Prime Minister Kishida calls for measures to tackle rice price decline

TOKYO, Oct. 5 – Fumio Kishida, president of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, was elected the 100th prime minister at the extraordinary Diet session held on Oct. 4. Kishida launched his Cabinet the same day and appointed Genjiro Kaneko, former chair of the Upper House Budget Committee, as the new agriculture minister. Kishida asked Kaneko to swiftly compile measures to stabilize supply-demand balance of rice amid declining rice prices. The new prime minister said at a news conference that the top priority will be given to tackling the COVID-19 pandemic, adding that the government will put together economic measures to support people and businesses affected by the pandemic. The government … Continue reading

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Heavy rains in August causes 65.7 bln yen farm loss in Japan

TOKYO, Sep. 11 – Estimated agriculture, forestry, and fishery loss caused by the heavy rainfall continued from August 11 in Japan have risen to 65.7 billion yen, the farm ministry said on September 10, 2021. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan (MAFF) confirmed damages on farming land and facilities and agricultural products in 39 prefectures. The early estimate as of August 6 was around 59.1 billion yen. The survey is still ongoing and likely to reveal a further rise in the number, according to MAFF. The estimate as of September 17 is 65.67 billion yen. Those in two prefectures for which the heavy rain emergency warning was … Continue reading

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Vietnam lifts ban on imports of Unshu oranges from Japan

TOKYO, Sept. 15 – Japan-grown Unshu Mandarin oranges can be exported to Vietnam starting on Oct. 1 if they meet certain requirements, the agriculture ministry announced on Sept. 14. The oranges to be exported should be cultivated at registered farmlands and go through inspections for citrus fruit flies and other pests. The ban on shipments of the oranges will be lifted effectively for products which will be harvested next year. The ministry estimates that the value of exports for the initial year will be around 9 million yen. The ministry will start recruiting growers who want to register their farmlands at the Plant Protection Station to export the oranges. The … Continue reading

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Annual shipments of domestically grown vegetables for processing top 1 million tons

TOKYO, Aug. 17 – Shipments of locally grown vegetables used for processed products and by restaurants are increasing in recent years, reaching 1.06 million tons in 2019, up 72,000 tons, or 7 percent, from the previous year, according to the agriculture ministry. The figure – the total for shipments of 14 varieties including cabbages, onions, carrots, green peppers and Chinese cabbages – is up 187,000 tons, or 21 percent, from 2014. The agriculture ministry has been taking measures to boost the shipments, with a target of expanding the annual total to 1.45 million tons by 2030. Demands of vegetables for processing and for restaurants have been rising, occupying 60 percent … Continue reading

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