Production area/Producer
Aside from our own farms, Kira Foods use vegetables from contracted producers so we may offer their signature crops.
Aside from our own farms, Kira Foods use vegetables from contracted producers so we may offer their signature crops.
We carry out cooperative cultivation with many contracted farmers inside and outside Kyushu.
We carry out cooperative cultivation with many contracted farmers inside and outside Kyushu.
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burdock root(Kumamoto, Miyazaki, Kagoshima)
Burdock root is mainly grown in Miyazaki, Kagoshima and Kumamoto prefectures. In particular, farms in Miyazaki seen as being at the forefront in developing new agriculture techniques. Hazama Ranch in Miyakonojo, Miyazaki prefecture is a large-scale farm overlooking the Kirashima mountain range. Raising over 60,000 pigs and 6,000 cows, compost is made from the animals manure and utilized in growing the farms crops. The unique methods employed have attracted national attention, winning the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Award.
In particular, Yanagawa Riso burdock is cultivated here, which is viewed as the highest quality burdock for both its sweetness and flavor.
See burdock products
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Daikon radish leaves(Grown in Kumamoto)
Our dried radish leaves use produce grown both in-house and by our contract farmers. Currently, we are utilizing a special plant which allows for the easy removal of the soft leaves. The radish can be harvested every 35 days, with the main feature being their small body which allow for the easy removal of their soft leaves. Due to such unique cultivation, these daikon leaves can be harvested year-round.
View Daikon Leaf products
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Carrot（Grown in Kumamoto）
Carrots are mainly grown by our contracted farmers in Kikuchi-gun, Kumamoto Prefecture. Among them, Kikuyo town in one of the leading production areas in Kyushu. These delicious carrots are harvested from the open fields in both the spring and winter.
View carrot products
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Spinach（Grown in Kumamoto）
Our spinach is grown mainly on our farm in Otsu-machi, Kikuchi-gun, Kumamoto. This farm utilizes the mineral-rich volcanic ash soil of the region to create an optimal growing environment. Our vegetables are grown in a strictly controlled environment using special organic cultivation methods to reduce the quantity of pesticides required. This technique allows us to produce approximately 130 tons of spinach from an area of 12 hectares.
See spinach products
interview
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I love Kira Foods because they are serious about growing vegetables.
Tajima Shoten Co.
Representative Director Mr. Ryuta Nishino-
Self introduction
Our company sells fertilizers, pesticides and other agriculture equipment to farmers. By using our knowledge in these tools and collaborating with experts in fruit trees and vegetables, we are working toward solving many problems facing farmers.
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Encounter with Kira Foods
I was born in Ozu, and have know the President since elementary school. As adults, we were both members of the Chamber of Commerce, at which point our working relationship began. My initial impression of Kira Foods was that of a company that cared deeply about its work growing vegetables. I have been very impressed with the professional manner in which they work. We have always had excellent communication and consulting in regards to processes and striving to improve.
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Thought
It is rewarding to solve issues facing farmers. In the case of Kira Foods, they work with dried vegetables. As such, they need to harvest vast quantities at one time. To aid in this, we fine tune the timing of fertilizers to achieve bigger than normal produce in the same time frame.Due to the need for huge harvests, fields must be large. Standard soil quality is essential to ensure to uniform product quality, taste and growth. To achieve this we regularly conduct ground inspections and tests. This allows us to flag an issues or irregularities and address them immediately. During the Kumamoto earthquake response, dried vegetables proved to useful at evacuation centers due to their ease of storage. We were elated in being able to have a positive community contribution in conjunction with Kira Foods.
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Future with Kira Foods
At this time, we our proud of our work with Kira Foods. Looking to the future, we aim to work together to improve not only the growing process, but also the nutrition of the vegetables. With an aging population requiring services and products designed to improve and extend life, we need to find methods to simplify and specialize productivity in agriculture with a goal to sustain production for as long as possible.
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Kira Foods is a company you can grow with.
Kira Foods Raw Material Team
Mr Takuma Hirakawa-
Self introduction
I am a part of the in-house Kira Foods cultivation team. We manage three types of vegetables; spinach; Japanese mustard spinach and daikon radish. By managing 20 fields we are able to supply a stable supply of raw materials to our factory.
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Encounter with Kira Foods
Due to my joy growing food, I knew that a job in agriculture would be fulfilling. After leaving my previous job, I contacted an old friend, the President of Kira Foods. This led to my current position within the company. I enjoy working in agriculture and thanks to my colleagues support and mechanization, I am able to overcome the challenges of working alone. Kira Foods management and employees embrace the philosophy of ‘everything is to create a good company`, and earnestly supports everyone who works toward this goal. I believe this has created a very good work environment.
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Thought
In consultation with our team, we strive to create excellent growing conditions minus weeds. On my frequent visits to the fields, I am constantly on the lookout for weeds and disease as the situation can change quickly depending on the weather of the day. We are constantly learning to adapt this year`s environment to deliver the best quality produce. Furthermore, taking the time to walk the fields and inspect by hand allows me to notice things that the mechanization of agriculture can not see; disease, insects and worm eaten plants. I believe this allows us to grow a higher quality vegetable which I can be proud of.
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Future with Kira Foods
As society ages, I am very conscious that there is a shortage of people to work in the field of agriculture. Mechanization will help reduce the labor costs and work load, but the image of farming is still one of having a tough life. I would like to encourage young people to take on this challenge and see that the future automation of production will help reduce the burden on the worker. Furthermore, we are working toward selling both fruits and vegetables by utilizing the leftover field space, while dried vegetables will remain the foundation of the company.
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