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.