Japanese fruit imports drop
Japanese fruit imports have dropped to their lowest levels in five years with rising production and freight costs and a weak yen contributing to a challenging environment for importers.
According to data from the Japanese Ministry of Finance, Japan imported 1.63m tonnes in 2022, down from 1.77 in 2021 and lower than 1.66m tonnes in 2018.
The average value of imported fruit per kilogram rose to ¥172 in 2022 from ¥154 in 2021, an increase of 12 per cent. This was the highest recorded price in over ten years.
Analysing the data for 2022 Jack Moriya, president major Japanese wholesaler and importer Tokyo Seika, said the market faced a number of compounding challenges.
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