Fukushima Updatevia The Straits Times / August 19, 2014 / Japan is to restart exports of rice grown in Fukushima for the first time since foreign sales were halted due to fears of contamination by the nuclear disaster there, officials said on Tuesday.
The National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations (Zen-Noh), a major wholesaler of Japanese agricultural products, said it will send 300kg of the grain to Singapore. Its provenance will be marked and it will not be mixed with other produce, an official said. The rice was grown some 60km to 80km west of the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant, he said.
It will be the first time rice grown in Fukushima prefecture – which hosts the battered Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant – has been sold abroad since fiscal 2012, when the region exported 17 tonnes to Hong Kong, a Fukushima official said.
“Despite our efforts at explaining the safety of Fukushima-made farm products, up until now we have not been able to find retailers who wished to trade rice grown in Fukushima,” said an official for Zen-Noh. “From now on, we aim to export more Fukushima rice, including to Singapore.”
Fukushima was a key agricultural area before the 2011 disaster, when a huge tsunami swamped reactors and sparked meltdowns, sending out plumes of radioactive material.
Thousands of people were evacuated and huge tracts of land were rendered unfarmable.
The accident has left the Fukushima brand contaminated both domestically and internationally. Despite government assurances it is safe, farmers who till fields many kilometres from the plant have struggled to find buyers for their produce.
http://fukushimaupdate.com/japan-to-resume-exports-of-rice-grown-in-fukushima/
So are they exporting the Fukushima rice to Russia, China, US and Europe, too?
Singapore better watch out. Don’t see how they can import that stuff since Singapore is such a “FINE” city and all. I’ve been there. You can’t chew bubble gum, for cryin’ out loud. Can’t imagine them letting this rice into their country, knowing it is contaminated or did they not get the memo on it?
Does it glow in the dark?
Be easier to find for late night snacking.