Japan’s largest retailer and GlobalGAP member Aeon has announced that their first company-owned farm has achieve GlobalGAP certification, according the agricultural practice monitor.
The certification for the farm, Aeon Agri Create, which was established in 2009, is Aeon’s first step in its global strategy to implement GlobalGAP, among other food safety standards, throughout its supply chain.
“Aeon is proud to have this first achievement,” said chief supply chain management officer of Aeon Group, Cenk Gurol in a media release on GlobalGAP’s website. “We promote GlobalGAP in our country and the region, as a member participating in the Technical Committee Crops and now chairing the National Technical Working Group Japan.'
“Accurate and controlled farm processes based on global standards help us achieve this, while simultaneously delivering the quality our Japanese consumers expect,” added company president Yasuaki Fukunaga in asserting that Aeon stores are stocked by Aeon farm-grown produce, enabling consumers to access fresh, safe, affordable produce.
Aeon Agri Create operates a total of 12 farms that comprise 180ha, from which almost 75,000 tonnes of fresh produce is harvested annually.
Aeon has ambition targets of coming close to trebling its farming area to 500ha by 2015.
Aeon is also planning to launch a private-brand product range later this year, produced, processed and distributed according to safe and sustainable food requirements based on the GlobalGAP platform.
