JA Group, a nationwide business and organizational network of agricultural cooperatives (JAs) in Japan opened an online platform named “One-stop service center for export promotion” on May 1.
The “One-stop service center” managed jointly by JA’s national organizations started to play a role of the portal website for JAs that are interested in exporting agricultural products by accepting JAs’ applications for experimental sales in overseas markets.
The experimental marketing of crops produced by JAs’ member farmers is to be carried out on the permanent shelves operated by ZEN-NOH (National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations), or JAs’ national marketing and supply business organization, at supermarkets and retail shops in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, United Kingdom, and other countries.
JAs are invited to make the application to the “One-stop service center” with information on farm products and their amounts to be sold to overseas markets.
If the experimental sales make a good result, it will lead to a beginning of the export business in overseas markets.
The “One-stop service center” also performs the function of a consultant for JAs that are growing their interests in exporting farm products.
Expert staffs of ZEN-NOH take charge of consultation with JAs, and other national federations share the information on the consultation whenever it is necessary.
Results of such consultation are to be informed to JAs as soon as possible through JAs’ prefectural organizations such as ZEN-NOH’s prefectural headquarters and prefectural economic federations of agricultural cooperatives.