Fresh tomatoes, sweet oranges and bright green lettuce grown organically and tracked by computer may soon arrive on consumers' tables directly from farms, thanks to agricultural deregulation.
Consumers are demanding safer food -- and getting it -- because small company-type farmers are changing the industry with advanced machinery and farming techniques, and by cutting the customary middleman out of the distribution chain.
The direct-marketing trend is likely to continue, thanks to increased support from banks. Banks are starting to focus on the growth potential of Japan's long-protected farm sector because high-demand products and direct sales networks are introducing an element of competition, industry experts said.