Japan could begin purchasing hay from Primorye
VLADIVOSTOK. August 2 (Interfax) - Japan's Shibata Unyu plans to begin importing hay forage from Russia's Primorye Territory to Japan, the company's president said on Wednesday during negotiations with Primorye Territory's regional administration.
He said that currently hay supplies by Japan were bought in the United States, Canada and Australia and total 1.8 million tonnes per year.
"Nevertheless this capacity is not enough for us. Currently there is a deficit of forage exceeding 600,000 tonnes. In addition, the price of the purchased hay is quite high which is also negatively reflected in the development of livestock in Japan. Therefore we are looking to cooperate with Russia and Primorye in particular. You have very good possibilities of growing hay," he was quoted as saying in a press statement by the regional administration of Primorye.
Shibata Unyu's president said that the main factors that led to initiating purchases of hay from Russia to Japan include the likelihood of forage being infected with foot-and-mouth disease and its absence in Primorye in phytosanitary treatment and forage packaging.
Rosselkhoznadzor's Deputy Director in Primorye Territory and Sakhalin Region Irina Gorban said that Primorye Territory is unaffected as a source of foot-and-mouth disease and the virus comes to the region from Southeast Asia.
"In the last three years the sanitary-epidemic situation with foot-and-mouth disease in Primorye has been favorable. Right now the corresponding facilities are launching operations to exclude Russia form the list of countries which contain that virus," Gorban was quoted as saying in the statement.
A deputy of the legislative assembly of Japan's Niigata prefecture noted that financing for the purchases and the installation of the required equipment to disinfect hay could be secured by the Japanese side.