Agriculture, forestry and fishery products and food exports Record high of less than 1 trillion yen, Feb. 12 at 12:41
Exports of agricultural, forestry and marine products and foods for the past year reached a record high of 92.1 billion yen, but did not reach the government's target of 1 trillion yen.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, exports of agricultural, forestry and fishery products and foods for the past year were 92.1 billion yen, an increase of 5.3 billion yen, or 0.6%, compared to the previous year, a new record for the seventh consecutive year.
Against the backdrop of the growing popularity of Japanese food overseas, rice increased by 23%, beef including Japanese beef increased by 20%, milk and dairy products such as powdered milk increased by 20%, and sake increased by 5%.
However, it did not reach the government's goal of exporting food, which was 1 trillion yen.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, exports to Hong Kong, which is the largest export destination, fell by 3% due to intense protests, and exports to Korea fell by 21% due to a boycott caused by deterioration in Japan-South Korea relations. It is said that the international situation has affected.
In recent years, exports of marine products, which have been growing, have decreased by 5%, and domestic fisheries have also been affected.
Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Eto told reporters after a Cabinet meeting on July 7 that "I am sincerely aware that I have failed to achieve my goal. Since April, a headquarters for promoting exports has been set up within the government. I would like to work to return profits to producers without breaking down. "
Export value more than doubled in 7 years
The government has stated that one of its growth strategies is to increase exports of agricultural, forestry and fishery products and foods.
The value of exports was 449.7 billion yen in 2012, and has increased every year since then. Although it did not reach its target of 1 trillion yen last year, it has more than doubled in seven years.
In order to increase exports in the future, it is essential to comply with regulations set by export destinations.
Following the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, up to 54 countries and territories have established regulations that stop importing foods produced in Fukushima Prefecture and other areas and require inspections for radioactive materials.
Although these regulations have been gradually removed or eased, there are still 20 countries and regions, including China, Taiwan, and Korea.
In November last year, an agreement was signed with China, which had banned the import of beef due to the outbreak of BSE and other measures. Exports are still not possible.
In order to further increase exports, we need to remove or relax regulations, and it is also urgent to respond domestically to the regulations of partner countries.
For this reason, the government plans to set up an organization in the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in April to centrally respond to such regulations, and will continue to focus on expanding exports.