Farmers open sales outlet for foreign travelers in Narita

Asian Economic News, June 5, 2006

NARITA, Japan, June 2 Kyodo

The National Federation of Agricultural Co-operatives Associations, Japan's biggest farmers' lobby, opened a farm goods retail outlet at Narita International Airport Friday.

The 10-square-meter outlet opened at the airport's Terminal 2 building in line with the government's plan to double exports by 2009.

Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Shoichi Nakagawa, who inspected the shop, said, ''We want foreign people to get a taste of Japanese agricultural products of the highest quality.''

The shop, established at a location where travelers pass through passport control, was seen offering such farm produce as rice, melons, watermelons, green tea and dried mushrooms.

The outlet sports the logo ''Brand JA.'' JA is short for Japanese Agriculture.

Hiroshi Sawada, a senior official of the federation widely known as Zen-Noh, said, ''We hope this shop will help clear the export expansion goal.''

Since countries run widely divergent quarantine systems for varying types of farm products, the shop posts notices on which products are regulated by what countries.

Under the five-year export program unveiled in March 2005, the government is seeking to double the export value of Japanese farm and fisheries products to 600 billion yen by the end of 2009 from 300 billion yen in 2004.

Narita International Airport reopened the South Wing of Terminal 1 the same day, capping years of renovation work and providing the airport with enhancements intended to cut inconveniences to passengers.