A group of farmers in Minamisoma, Fukushima Prefecture, is exploring ways to market biodiesel fuel made from sunflower seeds, which many consumers are shunning over radiation fears.
The Minamisoma Council on Farming Revitalization recently produced its first batch of the fuel, a hopeful first step toward making sunflower seeds profitable and reviving local farming.
Some farmers in Kashima Ward, where many have yet to replant rice, opted to plant sunflowers in a 100-hectare patch in 2012, thinking to sell them for ornamental purposes. The farmers know they can grow rice again in the future, but what's worrying them is their current crop of wheat and soybeans, which may not sell well due to radiation fears.