New agriculture minister Arata Takebe has said that thorough “scientific discussions” must be held on a plan to lift the ban on imports of fresh potatoes from the United States. The discussions will take “considerable time,” he also said in an interview with Jiji Press on Monday. Many Japanese producers have expressed concerns about the plan, including those in Hokkaido, which includes Takebe’s electoral district and accounts for about 80% of domestic potato production.
The plan “should progress after thorough scientific and technical discussion,” he said. Regarding rice, he said that the supply-demand conditions are easing considerably. Takebe declined to comment directly on rice prices, saying they are determined through private-sector transactions.
But he emphasized the importance of bringing them to levels that allow producers to reinvest and continue production while remaining acceptable to consumers. He denied a weekly magazine report alleging that he had paid a photographer involved in his election campaign. The photographer “did not act as a campaign worker,” Takebe said.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
