KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 8 (Bernama) -- The Ibaraki Prefectural Government, the host of the 2023 Group of Seven (G7) Interior and Security Ministers' Meeting in Mito, released a video, featuring leaders of the local farming and fisheries sector making strenuous efforts, as well as the Ibaraki governor's message.
Ibaraki Prefecture, endowed with fertile land and the bountiful sea, is thriving with agriculture and fishing, as it has a close proximity to Japan's capital Tokyo, supported by excellent transportation networks, and has been playing an important role in supplying food to the Tokyo metropolitan area.
According to Ibaraki Prefectural Government in a statement, the video highlights that Ibaraki's farm product exports has increased tenfold over six years, ranking second in gross agricultural output on a prefectural basis in the country.
In anticipation of the shrinkage of the domestic market due to depopulation, Ibaraki Prefecture, focusing on "Hitachi" beef, rice, fruits, and vegetables as key items, is exploring overseas markets and promoting exports.
Meanwhile, exports of sweet potatoes are brisk because of demand for baked sweet potatoes in Southeast Asia. The Namegata region in the southeast of the prefecture is a leading producer of sweet potatoes in Japan, also shown in the video.
Moreover, the video also features Ibaraki's fisheries industry combating climate change with the latest technology. Ibaraki Prefecture, with rich fishing grounds, was ranked second in marine fish harvest by prefecture in Japan in fiscal 2021 in addition to being the country's biggest harvester of mackerel.
Ibaraki will be launching a verification project for mackerel aquaculture using artificial intelligence technology and devices to feed the fish automatically while checking their physical conditions, among other means.
It will also start "Kasumigaura caviar”, a new brand using cultured sturgeons, whereby aquafarming has advantages over catching fish in the oceans because it is less affected by climate change, and it can be carried out onshore using fresh water.
-- BERNAMA
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