Category Archives: Cooperatives

【Editorial】The United Nations’ Decade of Family Farming 2019-2028 offers chance to rethink the future of agriculture (Dec. 27, 2017)

The United Nations has adopted the period between 2019 and 2028 as the Decade of Family Farming. Japan, which is accelerating structural reform including expanding the size of farms, should recognize this global trend and put priority of agricultural policies on family farming. We should make this an opportunity to think about the future directions of agriculture. In 2015, the U.N. member states adopted a set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty and hunger as well as protecting the global environment, with specific targets to be achieved by 2030. In achieving the SDGs, this time the members acknowledged the importance of the role of family farms, which produce … Continue reading

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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

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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

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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

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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

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