Jean-Louis Bancel, the chairman of International Co-operative Banking Association and a member of the board of the International Co-operative Alliance, expressed concern on Tuesday, Sept. 2, over Japan’s agricultural co-operative reform, saying it could adversely affect the co-operative principles of democracy, autonomy and contribution to the local community. Bancel, who is visiting Japan to learn about businesses of Japanese agricultural co-operatives, said he does not think there is any merit in breaking up the organization and limiting its scope of business, adding that the move goes against the global trend of co-operatives offering more comprehensive services and contributing to local communities. During his visit to JA Sawaisesaki, an agricultural … Continue reading →

  Yuji Hosoda Average price of Japanese Wagyu calves marked JPY553,984 per head in August, up 0.4 percent from the previous month, topping the 500,000 yen mark for 12 consecutive months, according to the National Federation of Agricultural Co-operative Associations (JA Zen-Noh). The prices are maintained at a level 10 percent higher than a year before. The prices have been posting a year-on-year drop for three consecutive months until July, but increased again in August as the number of marketed cattle marked the year’s lowest of 20,949. Market dealers worry that the recent trend of high sustained prices would be a disaster for the whole beef production industry, as higher … Continue reading →