Strawberry delegation
A DELEGATION of Japanese visitors from Fukuoka Prefecture Assembly have visited Granite Belt strawberry farms to learn about local growers and look into future collaborations.
The group was interested in what varieties are grown in Australia, how they’re grown, the marketing, licensing arrangements and royalty agreements.
Trade and Invest Queensland’s Tokyo branch organised for the delegation to visit in collaboration with the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.
The groups are interested in a counter-seasonal agreement where Granite Belt strawberries are sold to Japan when their varieties are unavailable and vice-versa.
Minami Chikugo Agricultural Cooperatives Representative Union president Yukio Noritomi said he was excited by the prospect of the collaboration.
“I think it will be great if we can create some scheme where Japanese farmers and Australian farmers can work together and create a win-win profitable situation in the future,” he said through a translator.
The group listened intently as Nathan Baronio showed the delegation around his farm at Eastern Colour in Applethorpe. The group asked questions about labour, growing methods and distribution – something that surprised Mr Noritomi.
“In Japan we have a grower and it goes to an agricultural co-op and then it goes into a wholesaler market, then goes retailer, then it goes to the consumer,” he said.
“So we have many different stages of the agricultural product chain, where, as we have heard, the product goes straight from the farmer to the shops here, which is a big difference.”
Fukuoka Prefecture Assembly member Akira Higuchi was impressed by the high quality of the strawberries being produced in the region, despite drought conditions.
“I heard Australian farmers are struggling with securing water, water is the biggest concern,” he said.
“But they all have a dam on their property and they have a state-of-the-art irrigation system and still are achieving to produce quality products.
“I heard it is around 800 yen (about $9.85) per kilogram, so it must be a very high-quality strawberry.”
Fukuoka Prefecture Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Director General Koji Okamoto said the experience would allow them to teach farmers new information when they returned.
“It has been very fruitful that we have heard so many new stories that we have never heard of before,” Mr Okamoto said.
Mr Baronio was flattered by how much attention the delegation paid him.
“Supplying all of Queensland with summer strawberries out of Stanthorpe is pretty unique. You go from strawberries to capsicums to leafy vegetables – it’s like a big salad bowl,” he said.
“Seeing delegations come from Japan to have a look at what we’re doing in Stanthorpe is awesome.”
The group left Stanthorpe for Brisbane to discuss potential for future trade before they returned to Japan.
❝ I think it will be great if we can create some scheme where Japanese farmers and Australian farmers can work together.
— Yukio Noritomi