Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Uzbekistan has become one of Japan’s five largest suppliers of prunes and ranks among the top 10 exporters of raisins to the Japanese market, according to data cited in a report on the development of trade cooperation between the two countries.
To expand supplies, representatives of the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Japan held a meeting in Osaka with Kengo Sugie, CEO of Japanese company Kurosimo Inc.
The company imports black raisins, almonds and walnuts from Uzbekistan, processes the products and sells them in Japan under the Gift from Silk Road brand.
The products are available at Kintetsu Department Store, one of Japan’s largest retail chains, and have attracted consumer interest, according to participants in the meeting.
The discussions also covered Japanese market requirements for imported food products. In particular, suppliers must comply with limits on pesticide residues under Japan’s Positive List System.
Depending on the type of product, laboratory tests are conducted to check for pesticide residues, mycotoxins, microbiological indicators and food additives.
Fresh fruit, vegetables, seeds and certain types of plant products are subject to phytosanitary requirements, including the issuance of relevant certificates and import inspections.
Japanese legislation also sets requirements for packaging and labelling. Labels in Japanese must indicate the product name and ingredients, allergens, storage conditions, expiry date, country of origin and importer details.
Under Japan’s Food Sanitation Act, a notification must be submitted for every commercial food import.
The discussions were aimed at ensuring that Uzbek products comply with Japanese regulations and further expanding their supplies to the country’s market.
