Category Archives: Cooperatives

TOKYO, Jan. 13 ― Japanese main growers of fresh cabbage have joined hands to promote their products at Ota Ichiba, the country’s largest flower and vegetable wholesale market, at a time when the import volumes are rising in Japan. The increase in imports of cabbage is attributed to traders’ assumption of poor domestic cabbage crop due to bad weather last year. It had been raining a lot last September in production areas, namely Chiba, Kanagawa and Aichi prefectures. But the domestic cabbage crop recovered as favorable weather conditions continued since then, boosting domestic production. Despite late last year’s good harvest, the rising imports of cabbage has resulted in pushing domestic … Continue reading →

YOKOHAMA, Jan. 9 ― The first shipment of rice to China sourced exclusively from Niigata prefecture, one of Japan’s most renowned rice producers, is set to depart from the Port of Yokohama. JA ZEN-NOH, the National Federation of Agriculture Cooperative Associations, the marketing arm of JA group, assembled in Yokohama on Jan. 8 to celebrate the consignment. “Niigata shipments account for a third of the entire Japanese rice exports,” said　Agriculture Minister Takamori Yoshikawa at the ceremony. “I hope rice shipments from Niigata to China will increase.” This shipment is significant because China decided last November to lift its seven-year import ban on rice from Niigata prefecture, which was imposed in … Continue reading →

TOKYO, Dec. 21 ― Japan’s largest farmers’ group has invested in Yuwaeru Co. Ltd., a Tokyo-based startup that specializes in manufacturing prepackaged brown rice, continuing its aggressive move to seek out growth business. JA ZEN-NOH, the National Federation of Agriculture Cooperative Associations, the marketing arm of JA group, said on Dec. 20 that it acquired an undisclosed stake in Yuwaeru through a third-party allocation of newly issued shares. The equity investment took place in November 2018, enabling JA group to push for sales of Japanese-grown brown rice at home and abroad. Brown rice is known as a superfood owing to its multitude of nutritional benefits. That makes it a healthier … Continue reading →

TOKYO, Dec. 14 ― JA ZEN-NOH Grain Corp., a marketing subsidiary of Japan’s largest farmers’ cooperative, said its Canadian unit has agreed to set up a joint venture with Canada’s Parrish & Heimbecker to build a new export terminal at the port of Vancouver. The terminal will provide 4 million metric tons of annual handling capacity, said Japan’s National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations (JA ZEN-NOH) on Dec. 12. The move comes as Canadian grain exports to China continues to grow and the JA ZEN-NOH, the marketing arm of JA group, needed to secure a stable supply of grains for animal feeds to Japan. Construction on the new terminal has … Continue reading →

TOKYO, Dec. 14 – Toru Nakaya, head of the Central Union of Agricultural Cooperatives (JA-ZENCHU), on Dec. 12 called on the government to place food security at the center of its 10-year Basic Plan on Food, Agriculture and Rural Areas. Addressing reporters, Nakaya said ensuring food security is becoming increasingly important amid shrinking farming population, decrease in farmland, increasing trade liberalization, rapid growth in global population and recurrence of disasters. Citing forecasts by the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, he said Japan’s agricultural population is expected to continue declining, dropping to 1.22 million in 2025, down 40 percent from 2015. He expressed concern over the fact that the rate … Continue reading →