On January 23, 2024 (Tuesday), the "Fiscal Year 2023, Gunma Prefecture Agriculture & Food Business Exchange Meeting" was held in Gunma Prefecture, where Tatsuo Horiuchi, President and CEO of Farmind Corporation (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, hereinafter "Farmind"), delivered a speech.

This exchange meeting, sponsored by the Maebashi Branch of the Japan Finance Corporation and the Gunma Prefecture Hot Agriculture Group, was held as a place to learn about the current situation and challenges facing Japanese agriculture, targeting managers of agriculture and food businesses in Gunma Prefecture.

In the speech titled "Farmind Group's Initiatives - Considering the Environment Surrounding Japan's Food and Agriculture -", Mr. Horiuchi introduced the comprehensive fruits and vegetables platform centered on the cold chain and information network that Farmind group is building, touching on the current issues and future prospects of Japan's agriculture and agricultural product supply. In addition, he explained about the solution to realize an increase in producers' earning and a reduction in prices for consumers by utilizing the functions of Farmind group, standardizing quality, improving logistics efficiency, reducing intermediate distribution costs and food losses, and delivering the required quantities to consumers who need it through appropriate distribution.

He also introduced the PFC (Platform Center) business for domestic fruits and vegetables that Farmind and the National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations are jointly working on, and the expansion of production businesses to prevent from the decline in domestic production, and expressed his desire to expand cooperation not only with Farmind group but also with other producers. He also talked about the group's goal of supporting a stable agricultural foundation for growers and a safe and secure foods for consumers by organically linking these initiatives.

Participants showed interest in the improvement of producers' profits and new initiatives in domestic fruits and vegetables through the utilization of Farmind comprehensive platforms, and there was active Q&A and exchange of opinions, including the challenges faced on the ground.

Based on our corporate philosophy of "Bringing producers and consumers together", Farmind will continue to strengthen the supply system of fruits and vegetables in Japan and overseas and improve the quality through its nationwide cold chains, deliver fresh and delicious fruits and vegetables from farms to consumers, and contribute to the development of domestic and overseas fruits and vegetables distribution from various perspectives.

President Tatsuo Horiuchi delivering a speech.

Approximately 70 managements of agriculture and food businesses in Gunma Prefecture participated.

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Corporate Planning Department, Farmind Corporation

TEL: +81-3-5835-1794