Will Hodgman,Premier
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Tasmanian Government and a Japanese agricultural cooperative will lead to new opportunities to expand Tasmania's agricultural production and research industries.
The MoU with Japan Agriculture Biei (JA Biei), a leading agricultural cooperative based in Hokkaido, will lead to research and field trials into Japanese vegetable crop growing in Tasmania.
Today's MoU expands on the MoU between JA Biei and TasTAFE signed during a 2017 visit to Japan and provides an opportunity for Tasmania to receive a range of Hokkaido seed stock exclusively to our state (subject to quarantine requirements), this will allow Tasmanian farmers to develop new domestic and international vegetable export opportunities.
Ian Locke from the Tasmanian Fruit and Vegetable Export Facilitation Group congratulated the government on the signing of the MoU saying:
"This MoU provides a platform to both parties that will upskill our farmers, embrace collaboration, exchange knowledge and underpin partnerships that will leverage individual strengths and build profitable relationships," Mr Locke said.
Tasmania has similar environmental conditions to Hokkaido and it is anticipated that our state could be an ideal location to grow vegetable crops for the Japanese market. Tasmania's reputation as a clean and trusted source of high-quality food is also important to JA Biei and its reputation in Japan.
