TOKYO, Sept. 17 – Japan’s imports of processed chicken products, such as cooked chicken skewers, are rising at record pace this year, according to the Finance Ministry’s trade statistics.
The statistics show the total amount of processed chicken imports in the period between January and July was nearly 10 percent more than the record highest volume posted in the same period in 2012, helped by increasing imports from Thailand.
The imports were boosted by growing demand in the prepared foods industry, including food products sold at convenience stores, backed by rising health awareness among consumers. Domestic producers are also expanding their production, but have not been able to catch up with the rising demand.
The total imports of processed chicken products reached 266,360 tons in the January-July period, up 8.3 percent from the record high amount marked in the same period in 2012. By countries, Thailand topped the list with 161,890 tons, up 38 percent from the same period in 2012. Shipments from Thailand and those from China which came second together occupy more than 90 percent of imports.
In response to increasing number of health-conscious consumers, major convenience store chains have been strengthening sales of chicken products such as vacuum-sealed steamed chicken. FamilyMart Co. started selling charcoal grilled chicken skewers in June and sold 30 million in a month.
Imports occupy roughly 30 percent of the domestic chicken meat market, and nearly half of imported chicken products are processed items. Domestic chicken production totaled 1.545 million tons in 2016, showing a continued increase since 2012, but the average growth rate is 2.3 percent, not enough to meet the increasing demand.
Furthermore, due to labor shortage at processing factories in Japan, more retailers are looking to processed items imported from abroad, meat distributors say.
They predict the rise in imports will continue this year against the backdrop of strong demand, and if imports increase at the current pace, they could exceed the record high amount of 451,380 tons marked in 2012. Strengthening domestic production is necessary to prevent the share of imported products from expanding further.