Category Archives: Cooperatives

JA Wakayama pushes Japanese kaki exports to United States

WAKAYAMA, Dec. 19 — A farmers’ group has shipped its kakis for the first time from Japan to the United States, as a potential market for the Japanese fruit. JA Wakayama, an agriculture cooperative in Wakayama prefecture, plans to export nearly 900 kilograms of kakis this year. They will be mainly sold at Japanese supermarket chains in the U.S. “Following market analysis, we have started seeking potential customers in the U.S.,” said a JA Wakayama official. Another official said: “We have sets our minds on the U.S. market now. We will expand our exports to boost our farmers’ income.” Japanese kaki will be sold as high as double the prices … Continue reading

Posted in Cooperatives, Food & Agriculture | Comments Off on JA Wakayama pushes Japanese kaki exports to United States

ZEN-NOH Aomori pushes Japanese apple exports to Vietnam

AOMORI, Nov. 29 — Japanese apple growers in the northern region hope to export more apples to Vietnam at a time when the domestic market has been shrinking. The ZEN-NOH Aomori group, which is responsible for the sale of agriculture products in Aomori prefecture, resumed exporting its apples to Vietnam in 2015 when the Southeast Asian country lifted a 5-year ban on apple imports from Japan. But the export volume was disappointing at 119 tons in 2016, as strong rains and winds destroyed crops in the Aomori region. The group aims to triple the exports to Vietnam to 350 metric tons this year, with their variety of “Fuji” “Kinsei” “Jonagold” … Continue reading

Posted in Cooperatives, Food & Agriculture | Comments Off on ZEN-NOH Aomori pushes Japanese apple exports to Vietnam

Japan’s farm minister pledges ‘support’ to JA self-reform

TOKYO, Nov. 23 — Japan’s Agriculture Minister Ken Saito has said he will spare no effort to help the Japan Agricultural Cooperatives, known as JA, the nation’s largest farmers’ group, to carry out self-reform. “I have a strong expectation for the JA group’s self-reform,” Saito said in his first policy speech at a Nov. 22 agriculture committee in the lower house of parliament, following Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s recent landslide election victory. “The agriculture ministry will follow up each step of their self-reform and I will spare no effort to help them bring real change for the benefits of farmers,” he said. Abe has trumpeted the transforming of Japan’s protected … Continue reading

Posted in Cooperatives, Farm Policy | Comments Off on Japan’s farm minister pledges ‘support’ to JA self-reform

Global cooperative alliance elects JA-ZENCHU Nakaya to board

KUALA LAMPUR, Malaysia, Nov. 18 —The International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) has elected JA-ZENCHU Chairman Toru Nakaya as a new board member. The apex the global cooperatives body held its general assembly in Kuala Lampur, Malaysia on Nov. 17. ICA received 24 candidates for the 15 board seats. After being elected, Nakaya said: “The Japanese cooperative movement, including JA Group, has been highly regarded in the global cooperative community, and it is vital to preserve the cooperative movement.” “My mission is to upgrade the model and increase its presence,” he stressed. Nakaya got 611 out of total 697 votes, the second highest number of votes in the same election. Board members … Continue reading

Posted in Cooperatives | Comments Off on Global cooperative alliance elects JA-ZENCHU Nakaya to board

Japan looks to expand online sales of cooked rice in China

TOKYO, Oct. 30 — A marketer of Japanese-grown rice is to expand online sales of cooked rice packs to China, aiming to capitalize on Chinese consumer spending power in its fast-growing e-commerce market. ZEN-NOH Pearl Rice Corp., the marketing arm specializing Japanese-grown rice of the country’s largest agricultural cooperative, has begun selling cooked rice packs at Wandou. An online shopping platform for Chinese consumers, Wandou is operated by online seller and trader Inagora, based in Tokyo. Inagora was set up in 2014 jointly by Weng Yongbiao and Minako Yamamoto. It has created a niche in China’s growing online market, specializing in Japanese goods. Today, about 35,000 items from 190 Japanese … Continue reading

Posted in Cooperatives, Food & Agriculture | Comments Off on Japan looks to expand online sales of cooked rice in China