LOC12:52
09:52 GMT
TOKYO, Oct 31 (KUNA) -- The Japanese government plans to step up support
for exports of agricultural products by subsidizing the construction of
facilities that meet the religious rules of Muslim countries in the Middle
East and Asia, where Japanese foods are becoming more popular, a top-selling
business daily here reported Thursday.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's growth strategy calls for Japan to double its
agricultural exports -- focusing on beef, fruit and vegetables -- to JPY 1
trillion (USD 10.3 billion) by 2020.
The government plans to pay up to half the cost to make food processing
facilities in Japan compliant with halal or Islamic dietary rules, the Nikkei
Shimbun said. The program is aimed at helping local governments and
agricultural cooperatives meet halal standards, as food exports to Islamic
countries must be compliant with religious law.
The government hopes to increase Japan's exports of beef to JPY 25 billion
(USD 260 million) by 2020, from JPY 5.1 billion (USD 53 million) last year, by
increasing production of halal beef to Muslim-majority countries such as Saudi
Arabia, Indonesia and Malaysia, the daily said. At present, most beef
exported from Japan is consumed in Hong Kong and Thailand, with several
million yen's worth going to the United Arab Emirates.
The government also hopes to expand exports of fruit to JPY 25 billion (USD
260 million) by 2020, up from JPY 8 billion (USD 82 million) in 2012. It aims
to help establish cold-storage facilities to facilitate agricultural exports,
the newspaper added. (end)
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