An Australia-based strawberry producer announced Friday that it will sell Australia-grown Japanese-variety strawberries to Japan.
At a press conference at the Australian Embassy, Katsumi Maruyama, managing director of Ichigo Australia Pty. Ltd., said the strawberries grown in Tasmania will meet Japanese demand for the fruit in summer, when it is undersupplied.
The quality is "the same as those we can eat in winter," he said, adding that the clean water, air and soil in Tasmania are ideal for growing the fruit.
The company is slated to export 25 tons of strawberries this year. In the next five years, 2,000 tons are expected to be shipped, Maruyama said.
According to Greg Dodds, an Australian Embassy marketing official, Australian agricultural produce targeting the off-season market in Japan is limited to products such as apples and flowers.
He said he foresees the Australia-grown produce will have potential in other Northeast Asian markets such as South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong.