Exports of Agricultural, Forestry and Fishery Products and Food for May 2025 - Achieving Record High for May at 140.2 Billion Yen

Overview

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries reports record-high May export values for agricultural, forestry and fishery products and food, analyzing growth factors and future prospects. ## Key Points ### 1. Record High May Export Value of 140.2 Billion Yen - May 2025 exports reached 140.2 billion yen, up 3.5% year-on-year, setting a new record for May - Driven by processed foods (+9.4%), livestock products (+19.5%), and forestry products (+1.6%) - Recovery from weak yen and increased overseas demand for Japanese food contributing to export expansion - Cumulative January-May 2025 reached 611.5 billion yen (+6.8%), progressing toward 2 trillion yen target ### 2. Export Growth by Major Markets - Hong Kong leads at 20.0 billion yen (+2.6%), Mainland China at 19.6 billion yen (-0.5%), USA at 18.7 billion yen (+3.0%) - Taiwan shows strong growth at 13.0 billion yen (+9.0%), South Korea at 7.6 billion yen (+15.9%) - EU at 5.5 billion yen (+2.7%), Thailand at 4.8 billion yen (+7.8%), Vietnam at 4.5 billion yen (+14.8%) - Diversification of export destinations beyond traditional markets progressing ### 3. Strong Performance by Product Category - Processed foods reached 47.2 billion yen (+9.4%), accounting for 33.7% of total exports - Livestock products showed remarkable growth at 12.0 billion yen (+19.5%), particularly beef and dairy products - Grains, including rice, at 4.7 billion yen (-0.9%), while vegetables and fruits at 5.2 billion yen (-7.5%) - Forestry products at 5.5 billion yen (+1.6%), fishery products showing slight recovery ### 4. Strategic Initiatives for Export Expansion - Strengthening of export support systems through establishment of export support platforms at Japanese diplomatic missions - Market development through participation in international food exhibitions and business matching - Quality assurance through HACCP certification promotion and traceability system enhancement - Development of export-oriented production areas and logistics infrastructure improvements ### 5. Challenges and Future Outlook - Need to address regulatory requirements and food safety standards in destination countries - Price competitiveness challenges due to rising production costs and logistics expenses - Importance of brand strategy emphasizing Japanese food safety and quality - Targeting 2 trillion yen in agricultural exports by 2030 through continued policy support The article concludes that achieving the record-high May export value demonstrates the global competitiveness of Japanese agricultural products, with continued growth expected through strategic market development and quality enhancement initiatives.