August 13, 2008
Japan's agricultural companies eye exports to defray rising costs
Japan, long known for its importer status as far as the agricultural field is concerned, is starting to look at exporting its agricultural produce in the face of ever-increasing material costs.
Agricultural companies across Japan are finding viable markets from its Asian neighbours for Japanese apples, peaches, lettuce and fishery products, according to Nikkei Interactive.
Although Japan is the one of the top markets for Asian shrimps, the country itself is exporting yellowtail thanks to organisations such as the Azuma-cho Fishery Cooperative in Nagashima, Nagasaki Prefecture.
The cooperative is Japan's top producer of cultured yellowtail. In 2007, the cooperative processed more than one million yellowtails, of which a fifth was exported, a 32-percent increase over the past year.
The yellowtail was exported to more than 15 countries, including the U.S., South Korea and Taiwan.
Instead of being frozen like most seafood, the fish are processed next to the ports and shipped by air so they arrive fresh at overseas Japanese food stores and sushi restaurants.
The fisheries cooperative expects exports to Russia and other regions to grow further.
Like most meat producers, the cooperative gathers feedback from its overseas market and adjusts production accordingly. For example, after learning about the shift in US markets from oily fish to less oily fish, the cooperative shifted production accordingly.
The exporters abide closely to what the industry regards as the three keys to exporting: strict hygiene, stable supplies and the ability to meet various needs.
The strong sense of responsibility arising from the family-run nature of most businesses in the cooperative also ensured the high-quality of the fishes produced.
