Report No.230708
Vol.23 No.7 March-April 2006

NEWS

- Food Marketing & Distribution -

Japan's Export of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery Products Increased 12% in 2005

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) published on January 31 that the value of export of agriculture, forestry and fishery products increased 12.1% year-on-year to 331.1 billion yen in 2005 (according to the provisional figures, which do not include alcoholic beverages, tobacco and pearl). 2005 was the first of the 5 year period to 2009 during which export of these products is to be doubled to some 600 billion yen, according to the government target. MAFF says the increase was "a reflection of enhanced motivation to export, which was cultivated in a joint government-private sector engagement (according to the export promotion office of International Trade and Tariff Division)," and MAFF plans to do more in supporting the efforts to achieve the target.  

Agricultural export is being promoted as a part of 'offensive agricultural policy' of MAFF. The Headquarters for the Promotion of Policies for Food, Agriculture and Rural Areas (chaired by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi) set a goal in March 2005 to double export of agriculture, forestry and fishery products from some 295.4 billion yen in 2004 by 2009.

Over the past several years, increment in export has registered an annual average of some 6%, but the double digit expansion in a single year in 2005 was for the first time in 8 years. Expansion since July 2005, in particular, has been double digit month after month.

The value of export consisted of 177.2 billion yen or 6.8% increase year-on-year which was contributed by agricultural products, 9.2 billion yen or 3.7% increase by forestry products and 144.8 billon yen or 19.9% increase by fishery products. Noteworthy was the increase in export of apples, rice and green tea. Export of apple registered 5.35 billion yen representing 82.4% year-on-year increase, and rice export (not including shipments for aid) was 316 million yen or 35.8% expansion. Active sales promotion by rice producing areas in Japan was primarily conducive to expanding rice export to Taiwan as high quality products. Export of green tea was 2.11 billion yen, a 25% year-on-year increase registered in a boom in Europe and America.

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