So I’m sure I’ll learn a lot in 6 weeks but just having a quick read here are some facts about organic farming in Japan taken from the International Trade website:
- A striking feature of Japanese agriculture is the shortage of farmland (yep I can vouch for that, haven’t seen a cow, horse or sheep in a whole year)
- Approximately 11.64% of the total land area is cultivated
- There are currently 4.539 organic farms registered in Japan (4955 in the UK)
- The Japanese hot and wet climate conditions, make it even more difficult to cultivate crops without chemical fertilizers.
- According to IFOAM & FiBL (2006), the area under organic management in Japan is 29,150 hectares, which constitutes 0.56% of the total agricultural land (compared to 3.9% in the UK)
- Certified organic produce from Japan includes: rice, green vegetables, green tea, sweet potato, taro, pumpkin, potatoes, citrus and other fruits.
- Currently, consumer demand exceeds domestic supply and most organic products are imported.
I’ll obviously add all my experiences on the blog as and when!
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