The recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan could have a “dire” impact on the country’s food and agriculture sectors, analysts at Rabobank have warned. Concerns over food safety and supply problems are likely to hit exports and lead to a rise in imports, particularly from the US, Australia and China, Rabobank said yesterday. In a report on the impact of the crisis on the food sector, Rabobank said imports of seafood, meat, fruit and vegetables are likely to grow. The analysts said... ...Read more »

In its most recent assessment of the situation in Japan, Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) noted that the Japanese Government had moved to place new restrictions on certain foods sourced from areas of Japan where radiation contamination has occurred. As a precautionary measure, and consistent with approaches internationally, FSANZ said that on March 23, it asked AQIS (the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service) to institute testing of some foods originating from four Japanese prefectures... ...Read more »

The US has joined a growing list of countries who have imposed restrictions on the import of Japanese food over fears of nuclear contamination. The Food and Drink Administration (FDA) has restricted the import of dairy, vegetable and fruit products into the US from the four northern prefectures of Japan affected by radiation leaks from the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant. Imports from the Fukushima, Ibaraki, Tochigi and Gunma prefectures “will be detained upon entry into the United States”... ...Read more »

Australia’s food standards regulator, Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), has made a statement that it considers the risk of Australian consumers being exposed to radionuclides in food imported from Japan to be negligible. “Australia does not import fresh produce from Japan.  In fact Australia imports very little food from Japan. Imports are limited to a small range of specialty products, for example seaweed-based products, sauces etc,” said FSANZ in the statement. “Any... ...Read more »

* Food and soft drink profits up 56.4% * Full-year group profits up 76.8% * Upped full-year profit forecast Kirin Holdings’ food and soft drinks division has booked an increase in full-year operating profits, driven by cost reductions made by the firm during 2010.Operating profit from the division climbed 56.4% to JPY11.10bn (US$133m) in 2010, the firm reported yesterday (10 February). Sales, however, dropped 13.2% to JPY638.10bn as a result of a change in the firm’s accounting period. The... ...Read more »

Japanese food and beverage group Kirin Holdings has slashed its profit forecast for 2010 due to JPY38.8bn (US$463.5m) of write-downs at National Foods, its dairy and juice unit in Australia. Kirin was targeting net income of JPY35bn for 2010 but on Monday (20 December) set a new forecast of JPY10bn. The company said an “appraisal” of National Foods’ assets and operations had shown that increasing input costs and “changes in the Australian market” would hit the brand... ...Read more »

Japan-based food group Ajinomoto is to build an umami seasonings plant in Thailand to meet what it claims is growing demand in Asia for the ingredient.Ajinomoto announced yesterday (4 November) that it plans to spend THB5.39bn (US$181.5m) on the site, which is scheduled to be complete by 2013. Umami is an ingredient in Ajinomoto’s seasoning products it sells to consumers and to processed food manufacturers. The company, which had already decided to up its production of nucleotide seasonings... ...Read more »

Japanese snacks manufacturer Ezaki Glico, maker of popular chocolate-coated pretzel brand Pocky, is building a new biscuits and confectionery plant to serve Tokyo and surrounding markets. The plant, which is scheduled to start operations in spring 2012, is based in the city of Kitamoto in Japan’s Saitama Prefecture and will supply Greater Tokyo and seven nearby prefectures. Occupying a total area of 118,000 square metres, the factory would be Ezaki Glico’s second-largest plant in Japan.... ...Read more »

A new Western Australian noodle wheat class, developed specifically for the Japanese and Korean markets, is expected to give the State’s growers and marketers increased flexibility. The Wheat Classification Council (WCC), supported by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) which oversees Australia’s wheat classification arrangements, has announced the new wheat class Australian Premium White Noodle (APWN). WCC chairman Robert Sewell said APWN would be segregated in WA starting... ...Read more »

Japanese exporters may be suffering from the historically high yen, which traded at a record JPY84 to the US dollar this week – but for Japanese food importers and retailers it is boom time.In the wake of the yen’s recent rise, which is casting a shadow on Japan’s export-driven economy, the ministry conducted a survey last week (24 August) of around 200 companies, including about 20 major food and food retail firms. Around 40% of major food retailers in Japan said they will expand... ...Read more »