Project Story 02
Accepting the challenge of developing Japan's largest kiwifruit
orchard by utilizing idle farmland.
Public-private cooperation in a regional revitalization project
by utilizing idle agricultural land.
Project Outline
Asai Nursery has partnered with New Zealand's leading kiwifruit seller "Zespri" to develop Japan's largest-scale kiwifruit orchard. In 2019, the company signed a production region partnership agreement with Tamaki Town, Watarai County, Mie Prefecture, which faced regional issues of idle farmlands and abandoned cultivation sites. With support from the municipal administration, the nursery rented agricultural land from 52 local landowners, developing an expansive 6.9 hectare kiwifruit cultivation area (7.3 hectare total) in Hara, Tamaki Town. Approximately 8,000 kiwifruit seedlings were planted, with plans to begin shipping Tamaki Town-produced Zespri-branded kiwifruit in 2023. Considerable anticipation surrounds it as this is a new local specialty product. This initiative has also garnered significant attention from other local governments facing similar farmland issues as a model case of cooperation between a municipal administration and an agricultural company.
Members
Mayor of Tamaki Town
Shuichi Tsujimura
Asai Nursery, Inc.
Vice President & COO
Yohei Asai
Chapter 01
Striving to revitalize regional agriculture by aggregating fallow farmlands in collaboration with local governments.
Asai
The story began in 2017 when Asai Nursery received a request from Zespri, a leading Kiwifruit distributor in New Zealand, to nurture Kiwifruit plants. Zespri, with worldwide sales channels, was seeking a Japanese plant nursery to expand their contract sites for the production of Zespri-branded Kiwifruit seedlings in Japan. They approached us because of our existing nursery business and expertise in plant cultivation. Because of the intrigue, we collaborated with Zespri and began a project to produce Kiwifruit nurseries. However, we thought subsequently, "Why not take on Kiwifruit cultivation at Asai Nursery too?" We began searching for substantial land suitable for kiwifruit cultivation and sought advice from Mie Prefecture, leading to our connection with Tamaki Town.
Mayor
Tsujimura
The involvement of Tamaki Town began in approximately August 2018, when Mie Prefecture approached us to attract Asai Nursery.
Tamaki Town has a history of thriving agriculture, previously known for extensive orchards of jiro persimmons and peaches. However, in recent years, owing to aging populations and a shortage of successors, fallow farmland and abandoned fields have increased. Mie Prefecture officials asked me, "Asai Farm is looking for farmland for kiwifruit cultivation, why don't you try to attract them?"
I heard that Asai Farm was engaged in advanced farming, and I raised my hand, saying that I would like them to utilize the idle farmland.
Asai
Upon discovering the willingness of Tamaki Town to cooperate with us, we felt genuine appreciation and confidence. Thus, a plan was initiated to aggregate large tracts of farmland in the Hara area of Tamaki Town in preparation for the kiwifruit orchard. Initially, we explained our project plan to the landowners and negotiated the lease of their farmland, and surprisingly, things progressed smoothly. We were surprised at the smooth process; even before our direct approach, the town had already briefed the local community about the kiwifruit orchard plan, which helped pave the way for our detailed explanations.
Mayor
Tsujimura
The Tamaki Town office had informed locals about the kiwifruit orchard plan. We suggested that hearing detailed explanations from Asai Nursery about Kiwifruit cultivation and the specific project plan would be beneficial. Therefore, we organized informational sessions and meetings.
Asai
Our past experiences with land aggregation in other regions had taught us that consolidating farmlands was not a swift process. Frequently, these lands are passed down through generations and each landowner has strong sentimental attachments. However, thanks to the efforts of the mayor and the Tamaki Town office, we surprisingly gained landowners’ consent within a few months. Ultimately, we secured total 6.9 hectares land for cultivation, covering 7.3 hectares in total, from 52 landowners.
Mayor
Tsujimura
There are various types of fallow farmland or abandoned fields. Certain lands are left untouched, while others are well-maintained by landowners to avoid causing inconvenience to neighbors. A few landowners maintain their land to resume agriculture. In Tamaki Town, several landowners had dedicatedly maintained their lands and not abandoned them completely. They genuinely considered the region's future and made the decision to contribute to "Tamaki Town's revitalization as a thriving fruit orchard," I believe.
Chapter 02
Utilizing regional resources for soil improvement and other initiatives, we developed a large-scale kiwifruit orchard similar to those in New Zealand.
Asai
After consolidating the farmland, we signed a regional collaboration agreement with Tamaki Town in 2019 and began the comprehensive development of the kiwifruit orchard. The first initiative involved soil improvement. The secured farmland had slightly higher hydrogen ion concentration, which could easily damage the kiwifruit roots. Therefore, improving the soil quality was the first necessity. However, because of the large size of the farmland, a substantial amount of soil amendment material was required.
Mayor
Tsujimura
That is correct. After hearing that Asai Nursery was considering the effective utilization of local resources such as Matsusaka beef cattle manure and oyster shells for soil improvement, we provided information about local Matsusaka beef producers.
Asai
We were genuinely grateful about the information. With the cooperation of Matsusaka beef producers and local cattle farms, we secured over 2,000 tons of cattle manure; from Toba's oyster farming industry, we obtained oyster shells and used approximately 300 tons of oyster shell lime for soil improvement. The information received from Tamaki Town was instrumental in obtaining such substantial quantities. Concurrently, we progressed on infrastructure installation. We installed fruit tree shelves and irrigation facilities to create an agricultural environment suitable for kiwifruit cultivation. With an aim to introduce New Zealand (NZ)-type kiwifruit cultivation, a leading method in kiwifruit production, we purchased equipment in NZ and learned cultivation techniques from local growers; finally, in 2020, we reached the planting phase, holding a planting ceremony in February.
Mayor
Tsujimura
I also participated in the planting ceremonies and planted seedlings. The Governor of Mie Prefecture, landowners, and local residents came to observe.
Mayor
Tsujimura
The developed kiwifruit orchard is impressive, being one of the largest in mainland Japan.
Asai
Thank you. We had never worked on such a large-scale fruit orchard before; I was deeply moved and thought, "We've reached this point thanks to everyone in Tamaki Town." Approximately 8,000 kiwifruit seedlings were planted in the newly established orchard. Regardless of facing various issues such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the absence of a supervisor from NZ, who was unable to come, delayed the installation of windbreak nets, and the seedlings were exposed to strong winds, necessitating replanting. However, we managed to harvest quantities by October 2020 that exceeded our plans. We were honored to have the mayor attend the ceremony for our first harvest.
Mayor
Tsujimura
Your efforts, not only in conducting planting ceremonies and celebrating the first harvest, but also in properly announcing the results and achievements of the project to the local community, were commendable. I realized that the Asai Nursery not only carefully considered us and the local community, but also garnered trust from everyone in the region. I remember eagerly awaiting the shipment of kiwifruits produced in Tamaki Town, which were ripened at Zespri's storage facility, slated for shipment starting in 2023.
Asai
I was genuinely delighted to see landowners and local residents participating in the harvest and enjoying the experience. While improvements are needed to enhance production capacity and ensure consistent yields, I felt relieved that the progress in the first year went smoothly.
Chapter 03
Creating additional value such as new specialty products and employment opportunities.
Mayor
Tsujimura
Finally, in 2023, the Zespri-branded kiwifruits from Tamaki Town began shipping. I quickly received information about the supermarket where Tamaki Town-produced kiwifruits were being sold. Among the townspeople, the recognition that 'Zespri's kiwifruits are being produced in Tamaki Town' is gradually spreading.
Asai
Although this is only just the beginning, it is surprisingly pleasing to see our kiwifruits being recognized as a new specialty product in the region.
Mayor
Tsujimura
Currently, our town has placed 'health and longevity' as key policy focuses, aiming to promote the health of our residents. Kiwifruit is rich in vitamin C, which is beneficial for health. Therefore, we want to promote them as part of our health initiative (laughs).
Asai
Retrospectively, I believe that the significance and benefits of working on this project in collaboration with the local government of Tamaki Town were substantial. Not only did we address the fundamental principle of 'effective utilization of fallow farmlands,' but I also sense that we have generated various additional values. As the Mayor mentioned, the creation of a new local specialty product for the town was one aspect. Additionally, I believe that we contributed to the community in terms of employment opportunities.
Mayor
Tsujimura
Absolutely. Several local residents are employed at Asai Nursery's kiwifruit orchard, contributing significantly to regional revitalization. For instance, our cultivation manager and family moved to Tamaki Town to work there.
Asai
That is right. The current kiwifruit orchard cultivation manager is originally from Belgium. He joined our company, and now his family of five resides and works in Tamaki Town. Apart from him and a few other employees managing the kiwifruit orchard in Tamaki Town, most of our workforce comprises local residents hired as part-time employees.
Asai
In addition, although kiwifruit cultivation generally does not require significant attention, it requires a considerable workforce during pollination and harvesting. After nurturing the kiwifruit for an entire year, the entire harvest process takes approximately one week, turning it into a festive atmosphere during that time (laughs). However, employing 40–50 people in a short period is quite challenging for a company. We relied on the cooperation of landowners, local mothers, and several others from the community. Discussing and organizing this labor force with Tamaki Town allowed us to leverage the strengths and benefits of collaborating with local governments.
Mayor
Tsujimura
Indeed, for Tamaki Town, witnessing the emergence of new employment opportunities and a thriving community brings immense joy and satisfaction.
Chapter 04
Transitioning from the NZ model to the Tamaki Town model within the NZ type: Establishing a sustainable agricultural system rooted in the local community.
Asai
We have successfully introduced and established a NZ-type kiwifruit cultivation system in Tamaki Town. However, we remain vigilant about further increase in the harvest yield and stability in production. We aim to fine-tune the cultivation practices in future to fit Tamaki Town's climate and environmental conditions, understanding that factors such as summer temperatures and typhoons differ significantly between NZ and Tamaki Town. We envision the establishment of an NZ-style cultivation method tailored specifically for Tamaki Town.
Mayor
Tsujimura
I see. Sustainability is a crucial aspect of this project because this is a long-term project spanning 30 years.
Asai
That is right. As explained during the project briefing sessions with landowners, kiwifruit trees allow harvests for over 30 years once planted. The project involved leasing land from landowners over a 30-year period. Establishing a stable system for consistent harvests and working closely with Zespri for robust sales is key. I believe that by creating a sustainable system, we can cultivate agriculture firmly rooted in the region.
Mayor
Tsujimura
Since the inception of this initiative, we have encountered numerous visitors from other prefectures, local governments, and agricultural sectors visiting Tamaki Town for study tours. The increase in idle and abandoned farmland is a common issue in all regions of Japan. \
Mayor
Tsujimura
I am very proud of the fact that our initiative presented a new form of agriculture not only in Tamaki Town but also in the region in the future. I am happy that we have accomplished this.
Asai
That is correct. In Japan, there is a prevailing notion that 'agriculture is about inheriting ancestral lands, passed down through generations to individual farm households.' Through this initiative, our company, based in Tsu City, has engaged in agriculture on new land, such as Tamaki Town, contributing to regional revitalization. It feels as if we have demonstrated a new form of agriculture. Furthermore, the key aspect is the collaboration between the public and private sectors in supporting regional agriculture. This initiative was not achieved by Asai Nursery alone or by the town of Tamaki. This initiative was used as a model case. I hope that this initiative can be used as a model for local authorities and businesses to work together to revitalize local agriculture, and that it will spread further throughout the country.
