The ongoing crisis at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant has affected the exports of farm and marine products from eastern Japan. According to the estimates of the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry, 44 countries and territories either ban the import of food items produced in Japan, or demand that they be inspected when imported, even though they are regarded safe and marketed domestically.
While the government had aimed to reach 1 trillion yen of agricultural and marine exports, this goal has been hampered by regulations that could be based on overblown fears.
On Thursday, high-grade apples in the first auction of the year at a fruit and vegetable market in Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture, sold at prices about 1.6 times higher than the previous year, partly due to short supply. Farmers and others were greatly relieved by the prices of almost all varieties, which were higher than those of last year. (Yomiuri)
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