Japan’s JA group plays critical export role: agriculture minister

TOKYO, March 20 — Japanese Agriculture Minister Ken Saito has said the nation’s largest farmers’ group has a critical role in leading exports of agricultural products as Japan faces a declining population. “We need to take a big push to expand our food exports, but it is difficult for farmers themselves to sell their products globally,” Saito told foreign media at a March 19 meeting. “So, the JA group should take a leading role when it comes to peddling their wares to the world,” he stressed. “That is how the group should reinvent itself now.” The JA group has been a prime target of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s structural changes … Continue reading

Posted in Cooperatives, Farm Policy | Comments Off on Japan’s JA group plays critical export role: agriculture minister

Japanese researchers develop new packaging for table grapes

TOKYO, March 19 — Japanese researchers have developed a new packaging box for table grapes, designed to protect the fruit so it arrives fresh and in good conditions to customers. Table grapes can easily be physically damaged, and poor handling can result in bunch shattering. So, packaging is key to minimizing transportation losses and extending the post-harvest life of fresh grapes. Japan’s National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO) has unveiled the new box that contains layers of cushioning sheets with two big holes. The holes allow different sizes of grapes to be placed in a way to resist the impact of rough handling during transit. Conventional packages place cushion … Continue reading

Posted in Food & Agriculture, Others | Comments Off on Japanese researchers develop new packaging for table grapes

More Japanese consumers care about low prices than health

TOKYO, March 18 — Japan has always been perceived as one of the world’s healthiest societies, as Japanese consumers are health conscious. But a recent survey suggests otherwise: more Japanese consumers are interested in economizing and willing to pay for convenience. The Japan Finance Corporation (JFC) conducted a survey in January with 2,000 individuals, aged between 20s and 70s. It posed questions what they think important on food. The survey found that the top reason for spending on food was still health, accounting for 42.9 percent, yet down 1.7 points from the previous survey in July 2017. On the other hand, 35.1 percent of the respondents care about lower-priced products, … Continue reading

Posted in Food & Agriculture, Others | Comments Off on More Japanese consumers care about low prices than health

Japanese wagyu beef exports to US remain strong this year

TOKYO, March 24 — Japanese wagyu beef exports to the United States are growing at a rapid pace as traditional Japanese cuisine rides a wave of global popularity. Japanese beef shipments to the U.S. reached 186 metric tons for January through March 19, according to data released by the United States Customs and Border Protection. The volume more than doubled from the same period a year ago, already filling around 93 percent of a 200 metric ton tariff rate quota (TRQ) that is allocated to Japan. “The shipments may exceed the 200 metric ceiling by the end of March,” said an official from a trading company. Japanese wagyu beef exports … Continue reading

Posted in Farm Policy, Food & Agriculture | Comments Off on Japanese wagyu beef exports to US remain strong this year

JA group, Keidanren to deepen cooperation on Japan farming

TOKYO, March 17 — Japan’s largest farmers’ group and its powerful business lobby group, the Keidanren, have agreed to deepen cooperation in the agriculture sector. Toru Nakaya, the chairman of the Central Union of Agricultural Cooperatives, known as JA-ZENCHU, met his counterpart of Keidanren, Sadayuki Sakakibara, on March 16 in Tokyo. The move comes as Japan faces shrinking food demand posed by a rapidly ageing and declining population with low birth rates. Japan has set a target of 1 trillion yen in agricultural exports by 2020. In 2013, the two groups set up a working group to strengthen cooperation in areas of improving agriculture production by using information technology and … Continue reading

Posted in Cooperatives, Food & Agriculture | Comments Off on JA group, Keidanren to deepen cooperation on Japan farming