January 13, 2023

The Export Value of Agricultural Products in 2020 Increased by 50%

On January 6, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) announced that the export value of agricultural, forestry, fisheries and food products in 2022 reached 1243.3 billion yen by November, exceeding the actual value in 2021 (1238.2 billion yen). Together with the yen's depreciation, it will likely increase by 50% from 2019, the year before the new coronavirus pandemic. Seafood and alcoholic beverages are pushing up the market.

Among the major commodities, the enormous export value was scallops, which amounted to 84.8 billion yen from January to November, up 47% from last year. About 70% of exports come from Hokkaido, where they are grown into large grains over the years. It attracts the attention of fine restaurants abroad.

Beef exports, which amounted to about 5 billion yen in 2012, have increased about ninefold over the past ten years. Wagyu beef with Sashi (Japanese meat) continues to sell well in the U.S., Hong Kong, and other countries, even at higher unit prices.

Whiskey, sake, and other alcoholic beverages exceeded 100 billion yen for the first time in 2021. In 2022, the momentum is still strong, with 127.8 billion yen by November. Nagahama Roman Beer (Shiga Prefecture), a microbrewery manufacturer, entered the whiskey market in 2016 and began exporting. Director Takashi Kiyoi says, "Japanese products are becoming more well-known and appreciated for their quality and taste."

The government has set a goal of increasing agricultural exports to 2 trillion yen by 2025 and is stepping up its efforts. Exports account for about 2% of the domestic production value of the Japanese food industry. In the U.K., it is 18%; in the U.S., 12%; and in the Netherlands, 95%. There is room for business expansion.

Top 5 Export Items in 2022

Rank	Item	Amount up to November	2025 Target Amount
1	Scallop	JPY84.8 billion	JPY65.6 billion
2	Whiskey	52.4 billion	68 billion
3	Beef	46 billion	160 billion
4	Sauce Seasonings	44.5 billion	85 billion
5	Soft drink	44 billion	78.6 billion

Data prepared from materials of Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries