An article published in the Agriculture & Livestock Industries Corporation web magazine "alic" August 2025 issue, introducing the current state of domestically produced frozen vegetables and the initiatives of Ishihara Foods Co., Ltd. in Miyakonojo City, Miyazaki Prefecture.
Current State of Domestically Produced Frozen Vegetables
The consumption of frozen vegetables has increased by approximately 20% compared to 10 years ago, with diverse products ranging from single-item vegetables like broccoli, edamame, and spinach to mixed products such as Japanese-style vegetable mixes and soup vegetables. However, while the food self-sufficiency rate for vegetables (calorie basis) is 76%, the domestic production ratio of frozen vegetables is estimated to be only 5-10%, indicating that domestically produced frozen vegetables are extremely limited.
Under these circumstances, frozen vegetables for household use include products that use domestically produced vegetables with particular attention to origin and cultivation methods, expanding consumer choices.
Ishihara Foods Initiatives
Ishihara Foods Co., Ltd. in Miyakonojo City, Miyazaki Prefecture, is introduced as a company that manufactures frozen vegetables using domestically produced vegetables with particular attention to cultivation methods. The company produces more than 10 varieties of frozen vegetables, sourcing almost all raw materials from their own farms.
Notably, all of their farms have obtained either special cultivation agricultural product certification or organic JAS certification for organic agricultural products. Special cultivation involves reducing the use of chemical fertilizers and synthetic pesticides by 50% or more compared to conventional usage in the region. Organic agricultural products are produced according to strict standards, including measures to prevent the intrusion of prohibited materials from surrounding areas, no use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides for more than two years before sowing or planting, and prohibition of genetic modification technology and radiation irradiation.
Production Technology and Quality Control
The company promotes advanced mechanization to achieve labor savings and uniform quality. QR code-equipped display boards are installed in each field, enabling immediate input of work information on-site and centralized management through a system, thereby enhancing field management. The company has also obtained JGAP certification and practices continuous improvement activities through agricultural production process management.
Furthermore, the company's fields are located within 20km of the factory, allowing products to be delivered to the factory within a few hours after harvest and processed frozen while maintaining high freshness, enabling the production of products that retain nutrition and flavor. Frozen vegetables have the advantage of preserving nutrients that would otherwise deteriorate during transportation if they were fresh, by processing immediately after harvest.
Future Prospects
Domestically produced frozen vegetables involve various innovations by each company, with product lineups becoming more diverse, including products that mix multiple vegetables. Recipes using frozen vegetables are introduced by manufacturing companies, supermarkets, and various other sources, expanding the scope of their use.
The article recommends referring to information about origin and production methods when purchasing convenient frozen vegetables, emphasizing the importance of quality improvement and promotion of domestically produced frozen vegetables.