Development and Difficulties in Japanese Export Farm Products : A Case Study of Yams

Abstract

Trends toward exporting farm products are spreading in Japan. Yams produced by H agricultural cooperative association of Nagano provide an example of this trend. The yams are exported to Taiwan by corporate exporter A and Taiwanese corporate importer N. The export of yams has the following characteristics. Plural companies intervene in the export process. Export-prices are the same as domestic selling prices. A small domestic market with limited domestic demand makes possible price adjustments. The following problems are left for export business. Imitations of Japanese yams appear, meaning that exports can no longer sell at the price needed to maintain their business. In that case, it becomes difficult for an exporter to get the price from an importer and the quantity of export increases with a decrease in export price.