Prices of agricultural materials post record high in 2022, hit by increasing costs of fertilizers and feed

TOKYO, Feb. 1 — The agriculture price index for 2022, released by the agriculture ministry on Jan. 31, showed that the index for production materials was 116.6 with the base year being 2020, which means materials prices rose 16.6 percent in two years. The prices marked the highest since 1951 when data became available, up 9.3 percent from the previous year. The index for fertilizers was 130.5, up 27.1 percent from a year before and that for livestock feed posted 138, up 19.4 percent, pushing up the index for overall production materials. The agriculture price index shows changes in prices of agricultural production materials and farm produce. While materials prices … Continue reading

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Japan’s strawberry war: prefectures introducing new varieties, domestic output increases 20% in 10 years

FUKUOKA, TOCHIGI, KUMAMOTO, OITA, MIYAGI, IBARAKI, WAKAYAMA, SAGA, and NARA, Jan. 15 – Did you know January 15th is Strawberry Day in Japan? A Japanese word for strawberries, ichigo, sounds like ichi (one), go (five), and that’s why. The strawberry is a hot product in Japan, as many prefectures accelerate the strategic introduction of unique new-generations locally to heat up the competition. The new varieties include high-yield berries with good flavors, large ones suitable for branding, and firm-fleshed fruits good for export. And after the race among the fruits with different characters, their unit prices improved, and the total domestic production increased by 20% in 10 years. The competition to … Continue reading

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Japan selects mikan groves built on stone terraces in Wakayama as candidate for global agricultural heritage

TOKYO, Jan. 18 ­­— The agriculture ministry decided on Jan. 17 to nominate mikan citrus groves built on stone terraces in the Arida and Shimotsu regions in Wakayama Prefecture as a candidate for additions to the list of Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) recognized by the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. The agriculture minister also newly selected as Japanese Nationally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (J-NIAHS) two areas — the disaster risk diversification land use system at the foot of Mount Tabashine in Iwate Prefecture and the Yatsunuma reservoirs farming system using rainwater in the Hiki hills in Saitama Prefecture. Both programs designate areas where traditional … Continue reading

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Japan’s exports of processed foods made from imported farm produce soar, raising doubts over contribution of exports to domestic agriculture

TOKYO, Jan. 9 — Japan’s exports of processed foods made from ingredients imported from overseas have been increasing rapidly. Export value figures in the last decade show that shipments rose particularly for coffee beans, increasing six times over the period, and instant coffee, up five times. Such items are categorized as Japan-made agricultural and food products when they are exported, which means it is becoming more difficult to determine to what extent exports are contributing to boosting Japan’s agriculture. It is urgently needed to grasp the situation of exports of foods that use ingredients shipped from abroad. The Japanese government has set a goal of raising the country’s exports of … Continue reading

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Will new year bring jump in demand for jumbo rabbits?

AKITA, Jan. 9 – The year 2023 is the year of the rabbit in Japan. Speaking of rabbits, the Semboku region in the Southern part of Akita Prefecture traditionally grows jumbo rabbits for meat. In 2022, the Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs certified its deeply rooted food culture of eating jumbo rabbit meat as a “100-year food” of Japan. Since then, there has been a jump in the popularity of rabbit meat as a healthier option. The region grows Akita-improved Japanese White, a breed with thick white fur. Some of them weigh over 10 kilograms. Growing rabbits for food started in the Meiji Era to improve diet in rural parts … Continue reading

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