Thailand is the first country to import fresh produce from Japan's Fukushima Prefecture since the nuclear disaster hit the region 18 months ago, reports Japandailypress.com.
Fresh peaches from the beleaguered prefecture arrived in Bangkok on Wednesday (12 September).
Fukushima officials told the paper they hoped the fruit's arrival would help ease consumer fears about the safety of produce from the northeastern Japanese region.
Fukushima peaches were very popular across Asia, particularly Thailand, China, and Taiwan, before the 11 March 2011 disaster, the report said.
But in the immediate aftermath, countries around the world stopped imports of all foods from Japan’s Tohoku region.
Last August, the Fukushima prefectural government invited Thai produce distributors to Japan to see for themselves that local peaches were radiation free. Thai importers subsequently ordered 250kg of “Yuzora” peaches, known for their velvety texture and sweet taste, the report said.
Yusuke Kimura, a Fukushima prefectural government representative working with Japan's External Trade Organisation’s Bangkok office, said they were very confident in the quality and safety of the products.
He added that the people of Fukushima hoped the peaches would be bought not just to support recovery efforts, but also for their delicious taste.
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