Category Archives: Cooperatives

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 →

YAMANASHI, Dec. 20 – An agricultural cooperative in Yamanashi Prefecture, JA Fruits Yamanashi, has started to sell this year a limited version of a popular grape variant Shine Muscat, “Christmas Shine.” By combining the popular variant and the jolly year-end festivity, it intends to add value to the products. Trademark registration for “Christmas Shine” was obtained on November 9. It will come in a fancy box, only one piece in each box, with a pretty red tag that says “Christmas Shine Muscat” in impressive gold letters. They also put a bell to connect it to Christmas and a white Japanese traditional washi wrapping paper to give it an image of … Continue reading →

KUROISHI, Nov. 9 ― Apple growers in Aomori prefecture are geared toward exports. The regional farmers cooperatives in Aomori, including the JA Tsugaru Mirai, have reduced prices of Japanese apples by exporting smaller-sized “Sugoi” apples. Sugoi means terrific or excellent in Japanese. Typically, the size of Japanese apples is big, but Aomori apple growers started selling smaller-sized one so the prices is lower, allowing them to tap into new markets in Southeast Asia. The growers named it Sugoi apple, because it tastes great, even though it may not be as big as Fuji apple. The farmers’ groups also have made a special portable package, which has a portrayal of Japanese … Continue reading →

NEW YORK, Nov. 22 – The United Nations General Assembly’s Third Committee adopted on Nov. 20 Japan time the Declaration for the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas which recognizes and protects the rights of small-scale and family farmers. It will be formally ratified at the General Assembly in December, helping give a much-needed boost to the recognition of the farmers’ role in strengthening food sovereignty and conservation of biodiversity. The resolution was passed with 119 votes in favor, 49 abstentions and 7 against. Many developing nations voted for the resolution, while countries like the United States, Britain, Australia and New Zealand voted against it. Japan … Continue reading →