De producto básico a favorito de los consumidores: cómo la protección de las variedades vegetales ayudó a convertir un arroz japonés de primera calidad en un éxito de mercado
Transcripción
Tsuyahime
A new rice variety bringing increased income for farmers in Japan
The rice market in Japan is one of the most competitive in the world.
However, one rice variety stands out on the shelf of a supermarket in Tokyo: “Tsuyahime”.
This new rice variety is enjoying a 30% premium, compared to Koshihikari rice, which has an established reputation for its good taste and high quality.
The premium price of Tsuyahime results in better income for its growers.
Kikuo Tsuchiya, President & Representative Director, Shiki farm Co., Ltd.
Tsuyahime’s crop value is 2000 or 3000 yen higher than other kinds of rice in Yamagata.
The UPOV system of Plant Variety Protection (PVP) is the key to this success story, but let’s first learn more about Tsuyahime.
So why are consumers prepared to pay a premium price for Tsuyahime?
Takako Inoue
My son says Tsuyahime tastes the best. Tsuyahime tastes very good even for a lunch box. So I think Tsuyahime is the best choice.
Yoshihiro Murata, President Chef, Michelin-starred Kikunoi Restaurant
I had been looking for the rice variety I could be satisfied with and tasted many rice varieties. Then I thought Tsuyahime is the best of those for our restaurant. Tsuyahime brand’s management is very strong. So the quality is stable, and I can always get the same good rice. And it has great sweetness and umami.
Mika Akizawa, Director, Yamadaya-honten specialized rice shop and rice-sommelier
If you eat products of Tsuyahime sold in Japan, you can see Tsuyahime brand guarantees a consistent level of quality in Tsuyahime products, which is one of the reasons why Tsuyahime has become so popular.
When a customer eats Tsuyahime once, she or he is highly likely to buy Tsuyahime again.
Tsuyahime was developed by Yamagata prefecture, which has created a breeding station because they consider new rice varieties to be one of the most effective means of providing benefits to farmers.
They are willing to invest time and resources into the breeding process because they are able to develop and protect varieties that benefit their farmers.
Mutsumi Takeda, Director, Yamagata Rice Brand Strategy Division, Yamagata Prefectural Government
We thought Tsuyahime must have good quality and good taste and be safe.
Yamagata prefecture bred Tsuyahime and protected it according to the UPOV system of plant variety protection.
This enables them to select farmers to grow Tsuyahime rice under special cultivation practices which ensures its high quality and value to consumers.
Mutsumi Takeda, Director, Yamagata Rice Brand Strategy Division, Yamagata Prefectural Government
We give the permission only to farmers who can make great rice.
Tsuyahime must be produced only by special cultivation, which means that the amount of chemicals used for farming is less than a half that in normal agriculture, or farmers must use organic cultivation.
Kikuo Tsuchiya, President & Representative Director, Shiki farm Co., Ltd.
We can use only 50% of the ordinary amount of chemicals in this region. That is why there are so many rice grasshoppers here.
Yamagata prefecture allows local farmers to grow Tsuyahime without paying royalties, but farmers in other parts of Japan need to pay a royalty which funds further breeding work to benefit farmers.
Yamagata prefecture created the name “Tsuyahime” and designed a special logo in order to raise customer awareness and promote market recognition.
Mutsumi Takeda, Director, Yamagata Rice Brand Strategy Division, Yamagata Prefectural Government
The name of Tsuyahime represents the characteristics of Tsuyahime rice, the whiteness and beautiful luster. It is named after these characteristics.
The fundamental motif of the logo is the Chinese letter of rice and the symbol of rice, and the green color represents the green mountains of Yamagata, and the red circle is the rising sun. So it is symbol of Yamagata, the rice producing region.
Furthermore, Yamagata prefecture has protected the logo using a trademark which ensures that they have full control over its use.
The UPOV system of plant variety protection is the key to the success of Tsuyahime because the plant breeder’s right granted to Yamagata Prefecture allows them to choose good growers and to control the way that the variety is grown, particularly to grow it in a way which consumers prefer and which provides benefits to farmers.
Atsushi Suginaka, Director, Intellectual Property Division, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries, Japan
For Japanese rice variety Tsuyahime, the breeder’s right holder utilizes the breeder’s right to allow Tsuyahime production only to the farmers who can make environmentally friendly and high quality rice production.
This is a good example that internationally harmonized PVP system can contribute to the development of local agriculture.
The internationally harmonized PVP system is fundamental to encourage investment for both domestic and foreign seed industries.
The higher income for Tsuyahime is attracting a younger generation of farmers who might not have stayed in farming.
Yoshihiko Tsuchiya, Director, Shiki farm Co., Ltd., son of Kikuo
Although the market prices of many kinds of rice are declining, Tsuyahime has been able to keep a high market price. My family’s farm has been producing a large amount of such high value rice, which made me feel more comfortable to continue in farming. I think Tsuyahime influenced my decision.
Tsuyahime
A new rice variety bringing increased income for farmers in Japan
The rice market in Japan is one of the most competitive in the world.
However, one rice variety stands out on the shelf of a supermarket in Tokyo: “Tsuyahime”.
This new rice variety is enjoying a 30% premium, compared to Koshihikari rice, which has an established reputation for its good taste and high quality.
The premium price of Tsuyahime results in better income for its growers.
Kikuo Tsuchiya, President & Representative Director, Shiki farm Co., Ltd.
Tsuyahime’s crop value is 2000 or 3000 yen higher than other kinds of rice in Yamagata.
The UPOV system of Plant Variety Protection (PVP) is the key to this success story, but let’s first learn more about Tsuyahime.
So why are consumers prepared to pay a premium price for Tsuyahime?
Takako Inoue
My son says Tsuyahime tastes the best. Tsuyahime tastes very good even for a lunch box. So I think Tsuyahime is the best choice.
Yoshihiro Murata, President Chef, Michelin-starred Kikunoi Restaurant
I had been looking for the rice variety I could be satisfied with and tasted many rice varieties. Then I thought Tsuyahime is the best of those for our restaurant. Tsuyahime brand’s management is very strong. So the quality is stable, and I can always get the same good rice. And it has great sweetness and umami.
Mika Akizawa, Director, Yamadaya-honten specialized rice shop and rice-sommelier
If you eat products of Tsuyahime sold in Japan, you can see Tsuyahime brand guarantees a consistent level of quality in Tsuyahime products, which is one of the reasons why Tsuyahime has become so popular.
When a customer eats Tsuyahime once, she or he is highly likely to buy Tsuyahime again.
Tsuyahime was developed by Yamagata prefecture, which has created a breeding station because they consider new rice varieties to be one of the most effective means of providing benefits to farmers.
They are willing to invest time and resources into the breeding process because they are able to develop and protect varieties that benefit their farmers.
Mutsumi Takeda, Director, Yamagata Rice Brand Strategy Division, Yamagata Prefectural Government
We thought Tsuyahime must have good quality and good taste and be safe.
Yamagata prefecture bred Tsuyahime and protected it according to the UPOV system of plant variety protection.
This enables them to select farmers to grow Tsuyahime rice under special cultivation practices which ensures its high quality and value to consumers.
Mutsumi Takeda, Director, Yamagata Rice Brand Strategy Division, Yamagata Prefectural Government
We give the permission only to farmers who can make great rice.
Tsuyahime must be produced only by special cultivation, which means that the amount of chemicals used for farming is less than a half that in normal agriculture, or farmers must use organic cultivation.
Kikuo Tsuchiya, President & Representative Director, Shiki farm Co., Ltd.
We can use only 50% of the ordinary amount of chemicals in this region. That is why there are so many rice grasshoppers here.
Yamagata prefecture allows local farmers to grow Tsuyahime without paying royalties, but farmers in other parts of Japan need to pay a royalty which funds further breeding work to benefit farmers.
Yamagata prefecture created the name “Tsuyahime” and designed a special logo in order to raise customer awareness and promote market recognition.
Mutsumi Takeda, Director, Yamagata Rice Brand Strategy Division, Yamagata Prefectural Government
The name of Tsuyahime represents the characteristics of Tsuyahime rice, the whiteness and beautiful luster. It is named after these characteristics.
The fundamental motif of the logo is the Chinese letter of rice and the symbol of rice, and the green color represents the green mountains of Yamagata, and the red circle is the rising sun. So it is symbol of Yamagata, the rice producing region.
Furthermore, Yamagata prefecture has protected the logo using a trademark which ensures that they have full control over its use.
The UPOV system of plant variety protection is the key to the success of Tsuyahime because the plant breeder’s right granted to Yamagata Prefecture allows them to choose good growers and to control the way that the variety is grown, particularly to grow it in a way which consumers prefer and which provides benefits to farmers.
Atsushi Suginaka, Director, Intellectual Property Division, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries, Japan
For Japanese rice variety Tsuyahime, the breeder’s right holder utilizes the breeder’s right to allow Tsuyahime production only to the farmers who can make environmentally friendly and high quality rice production.
This is a good example that internationally harmonized PVP system can contribute to the development of local agriculture.
The internationally harmonized PVP system is fundamental to encourage investment for both domestic and foreign seed industries.
The higher income for Tsuyahime is attracting a younger generation of farmers who might not have stayed in farming.
Yoshihiko Tsuchiya, Director, Shiki farm Co., Ltd., son of Kikuo
Although the market prices of many kinds of rice are declining, Tsuyahime has been able to keep a high market price. My family’s farm has been producing a large amount of such high value rice, which made me feel more comfortable to continue in farming. I think Tsuyahime influenced my decision.
11 de octubre de 2018