Japan’s Gulf Food Fund buys UAE’s meat wholesaler company

TOKYO, June 4 — A Japanese private equity fund has acquired the United Arab Emirates-based Country Hill International (CHI), a leading meat importer and distributor, for an undisclosed amount. The Gulf Japan Food Fund (GJFF), the Japanese fund that promotes Japanese agricultural exports, acquired the CHI, with an aim to boost the exports of halal wagyu beef to the Middle East market. The CHI is a meat wholesaler company that specializes in importing meat products from New Zealand and Australia. It distributes them to high-end hotels, restaurants and major supermarket chains in the UAE. The move comes as the high-priced Japanese delicacy, such as wagyu beef, has become increasingly popular … Continue reading

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Births in Japan hit a historic low in 2017 since records began

TOKYO, June 2 — The number of Japanese children born in 2017 was the lowest level since records began in 1899, deepening a demographic crunch with implication for everything including a reduced food demand and agriculture. Last year, 946,060 babies were born in Japan, according to preliminary data released by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare on June 1. The number of newborns fell by 30,918 from the previous year. On the other hand, there was a record high of 1,340,433 deaths in 2017, the ministry’s data showed. Overall population decline in 2017 was the highest on record at 394,373. With the working-age population decreasing, Japan is grappling with … Continue reading

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ZEN-NOH subsidiary starts producing frozen sushi in Bulgaria

PLOVDIV, June 1 — Japan’s largest farmers’ group has started production of frozen sushi in Bulgaria for the European markets, as the Japan-EU free trade agreement will enter force early in 2019. ZEN-NOH Foods Co. Ltd. produces five different types of frozen sushi in Plovdif, the second biggest Bulgarian city, and distributes them to Japanese restaurants in Europe. ZEN-NOH Foods is a subsidiary of Japan’s National Federation of Agriculture Cooperative Associations (JA ZEN-NOH), the marketing arm of JA group. The company will use rice grown in Miyagi prefecture, but get the rest of materials locally.

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【Series】 Our Noh no Ikebana : “Gift from land brightens up rainy grey days,”says Kunie Toda, 83, from Higashiura town, Aichi Prefecture (June 1)

  “In 1989, I talked to the members of the Women’s Group of the Shinden branch of an agricultural cooperative in Chita, Aichi Prefecture, (JA Aichi Chita, or JA Higashi-Chita back then), and started a local Noh no Ikebana club. Since then, we’ve been creating new arrangements for the entrance of the office of the Shinden Branch every Monday. We use sesame flowers, carrots flowers, two-legged Japanese radishes and all other materials you don’t usually get to see at your local supermarkets. So people often tell us that they never thought they were vegetable flowers or they’d never seen vegetables in such funny shape. We feel happy to hear these … Continue reading

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Australia lifts ban on Japanese beef imports after 17 years

TOKYO, May 30 — Australia has lifted a 17-year ban on beef imports from Japan which could boost Japanese exports to the lucrative meat market. Shipments of eligible Japanese beef have been allowed to enter Australia without any age limit conditions, the Japanese agriculture ministry said on May 29. Australia banned import of Japanese beef in 2001 due to an outbreak of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, also known as mad cow disease, in Japan. Tokyo had been pressing Canberra since then for resumption of beef exports, and the two discussed food safety conditions for imports. Australia’s lifting the import ban is a critical step to boost Japanese beef exports, as Australians … Continue reading

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