In Kumamoto earthquake-hit areas, members of a volunteer team sent by a number of agricultural cooperatives (JAs) in the country as well as by JA’s national organizations have been playing an active role in making up for the workforce shortage at marketing facilities of farm products operated by JAs and their federation in Kumamoto prefecture.
Members of the JA volunteer team are working up a good sweat at the grading facility of horticultural products. (Uki-shi, Kumamoto prefecture)
71 staff members of JAs and JA’s organizations, arriving at Kumamoto prefecture during four days since May 1, set up the third group of JA volunteers. Members of the group, wearing a uniform vest, are now engaged in works of grading and packing melons and mini-tomatoes at the Second Horticultural Product Collection and Distribution Center of Kumamoto Prefectural Economic Federation of Agricultural Cooperatives in Uki-shi.
Some of the workers of the Center had their house destroyed by the earthquake. A grading facility of the Center was also partly damaged by the quake. Hard workings by the JA volunteers are helpful to the Center in supplementing the shortage of its workforces.
“Only a half of our workers are now available. The workforce shortage was a serious problem here. We highly appreciate cooperation provided by the JA volunteer team,” Jyunya Kubo, general manager of the Center, said.