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Our Story: A Journey on Two Soils
Our Story: A Journey on Two Soils
The Journey Began with Extreme Weather and the Desire to Eat Indian Vegetables in Japan
The Journey Began with Extreme Weather and the Desire to Eat Indian Vegetables in Japan
Lauki (Bottle Gourd): Reviving an Ancient Bond: An Indian species cherished in Japan since the Nara period (710~794 A.D.), it is now absent from the modern market. We strive to preserve its 1,300-year history and Indian-food-friendly quality standards by cultivating it with care on our farm.
A Japanese founder, passionate about India and its food, initially started vegetable cultivation to create plant curtains for heat insulation. Thereafter, Indian friends joined, and together they began growing Indian vegetables, which were hard to find in Japan. They later revitalized abandoned farmland, turning it into dedicated agricultural land, which expanded the area for cultivation and led to the introduction of new crops. Today, breeding efforts have been made to adapt to the climate of the Kanto region, and we now produce over 30 varieties annually. We are a farm that grows Indian vegetables with the perspective of those who eat them.
While Chiba's (Kanto region, Japan) climate from April to October resembles that of Haryana, the sub-zero temperatures in winter make it difficult to grow Indian varieties in open fields. How can we turn this constraint into an advantage? Continue to Column article
Eating the Vegetables You Love Can Help Solve Japan's Agricultural Issues
Eating the Vegetables You Love Can Help Solve Japan's Agricultural Issues
Indian vegetables are hard to find in Japan, but even if they are available, the high prices often make them unaffordable. Moreover, even if the same vegetables are available in supermarkets, without proper cultivation management suited for Indian cuisine, their quality and quantity may fall short. We wanted to create a system where people could enjoy making delicious, vegetable-rich dishes.
It goes without saying that fresh vegetables are delicious when the distance from the farm to your mouth is short. But is that all we should consider? Vegetables harvested in distant regions pass through many hands and consume vast amounts of energy for packaging, refrigeration, and transportation while being moved and stocked. What we are actually consuming are these intermediate costs. Located in Chiba, our farm grows Indian vegetables just 40km from Nishi-Kasai.
On the other hand, Japan is facing an increasing number of abandoned farmlands due to the declining birthrate and aging population. By using natural forces and biotechnology to regenerate these lands, we are working towards sustainable food production and a steady supply of fresh vegetables. This approach contributes to solving agricultural problems as well. We aim to grow delicious vegetables in collaboration with you and nature, while simultaneously addressing social issues.
By minimizing external costs within production and moving away from numerous middlemen and wasteful market competition, it should be possible to maintain price control within a range that benefits both producers and consumers. Small challenges will change our world.
Annam Na Nindyāt. Tad Vratam. Annam Bahu Kurvīta.
―Taittirīya Upaniṣad
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