Comments on: Japan: Where has all the butter gone? http://globalvoicesonline.org/2008/04/23/japan-where-has-all-the-butter-gone/ The world is talking. Are you listening? Mon, 30 Nov 2009 10:05:21 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: scott http://globalvoicesonline.org/2008/04/23/japan-where-has-all-the-butter-gone/comment-page-3/#comment-1471701 scott Thu, 12 Jun 2008 01:26:07 +0000 http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/2008/04/23/japan-where-has-all-the-butter-gone/#comment-1471701 Japan and Australia are currently negotiating a Japan/Australia FTA/EPA that will allow for Australian agricultural products to enter Japan without Australian exporters having to pay the current high customs fees. In July, the two governments will hold their 6th negotiation. Some of the main import products (coming into Japan) that would increase are dairy products, wheat, rice and beef. Local governments in Japan are against any such tariff abolitions because local farmers (and economies) would be hit hard by an increase in Australian imports into Japan. As someone living in Japan I have mixed feelings about it. I feel that the government should support the local farmers (actually, they support them A LOT as it is) and see to it that any agreements don't hurt them too hard. As a consumer, though, I feel that prices of dairy products are extremely high, and that lowering/abolishing tariffs would save me a lot of money. I don't know if the high prices or the shortage of dairy products came first, but it hurts the pocketbook to pay 150-200 yen for one liter of milk. Japan and Australia are currently negotiating a Japan/Australia FTA/EPA that will allow for Australian agricultural products to enter Japan without Australian exporters having to pay the current high customs fees. In July, the two governments will hold their 6th negotiation. Some of the main import products (coming into Japan) that would increase are dairy products, wheat, rice and beef. Local governments in Japan are against any such tariff abolitions because local farmers (and economies) would be hit hard by an increase in Australian imports into Japan.

As someone living in Japan I have mixed feelings about it. I feel that the government should support the local farmers (actually, they support them A LOT as it is) and see to it that any agreements don’t hurt them too hard. As a consumer, though, I feel that prices of dairy products are extremely high, and that lowering/abolishing tariffs would save me a lot of money. I don’t know if the high prices or the shortage of dairy products came first, but it hurts the pocketbook to pay 150-200 yen for one liter of milk.

]]> By: La rivière aux canards http://globalvoicesonline.org/2008/04/23/japan-where-has-all-the-butter-gone/comment-page-3/#comment-1465423 La rivière aux canards Mon, 02 Jun 2008 02:44:27 +0000 http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/2008/04/23/japan-where-has-all-the-butter-gone/#comment-1465423 <strong>Il n'y a plus de beurre sur les sushi...</strong> Vous l'avez peut-être lu ou entendu ou même vécu: le Japon fait face à une pénurie de beurre. Ce n'est peut-être pas la fin des haricots, surtout dans un pays qui où le sandwich traditionnel n'est pas au jambon-beurre mais... Il n’y a plus de beurre sur les sushi…

Vous l’avez peut-être lu ou entendu ou même vécu: le Japon fait face à une pénurie de beurre. Ce n’est peut-être pas la fin des haricots, surtout dans un pays qui où le sandwich traditionnel n’est pas au jambon-beurre mais…

]]> By: Global Voices in Italiano » Mondo: il prezzo degli alimenti, il costo della disperazione http://globalvoicesonline.org/2008/04/23/japan-where-has-all-the-butter-gone/comment-page-3/#comment-1460273 Global Voices in Italiano » Mondo: il prezzo degli alimenti, il costo della disperazione Sat, 24 May 2008 18:04:25 +0000 http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/2008/04/23/japan-where-has-all-the-butter-gone/#comment-1460273 [...] aumentati in percentuali maggiori di quanto registrato negli ultimi 20 anni. Lo stesso vale per i prodotti caseari, per i quali i consumatori stanno pagando un incremento percentuale pari a quello degli ultimi 30 [...] [...] aumentati in percentuali maggiori di quanto registrato negli ultimi 20 anni. Lo stesso vale per i prodotti caseari, per i quali i consumatori stanno pagando un incremento percentuale pari a quello degli ultimi 30 [...]

]]> By: Uncle Al http://globalvoicesonline.org/2008/04/23/japan-where-has-all-the-butter-gone/comment-page-3/#comment-1456792 Uncle Al Mon, 19 May 2008 17:24:06 +0000 http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/2008/04/23/japan-where-has-all-the-butter-gone/#comment-1456792 Japan can enjoy abundant inexpensive butter by the simple expedient of burning it as fuel. The United States demonstrated that corn can be grown both for food and fuel to feed and power a nation. Official prices of food and fuel have drastically decreased over the past four years while abundance has soared. (American consumers are paying hugely inflated prices for low-availability items. Consumers are terrorists.) http://www.mazepath.com/uncleal/homesec.jpg Japan can enjoy abundant inexpensive butter by the simple expedient of burning it as fuel. The United States demonstrated that corn can be grown both for food and fuel to feed and power a nation. Official prices of food and fuel have drastically decreased over the past four years while abundance has soared. (American consumers are paying hugely inflated prices for low-availability items. Consumers are terrorists.)

http://www.mazepath.com/uncleal/homesec.jpg

]]> By: Russ http://globalvoicesonline.org/2008/04/23/japan-where-has-all-the-butter-gone/comment-page-2/#comment-1456100 Russ Sun, 18 May 2008 15:12:39 +0000 http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/2008/04/23/japan-where-has-all-the-butter-gone/#comment-1456100 While this is fine and good....I have a bit of disappointing news to folks about butter. It's made of cream. YEP. Just plain old cream. I seem to find that in the stores right along side the milk...but for some reason these dairy distributors are are unable to take some of that cream and turn it into milk. Perhaps, it is more accurate to say, that with the amount of milk that goes bad in this country, they should learn to make the amounts they need to supply the demand of butter and dairy and take that into account when writing up their books for that year. It seems to be common everywhere else in the world....but apparantly Japanese businesses are unable to manage themselves anymore. SO....If you are going to do some baking or cooking and want to make butter at home...here is what you do. Buy two or three cartons of cream. Whip the cream with a wisk until it is too thick. Then, replace the wisk with a spoon and keep stirring it. Fold (sprinke while you are stirring) in some salt. Now, while you are doing this contemplate why the fools that run ACOOP and manage the dairy council of Japan are unable to do it by themselves. While this is fine and good….I have a bit of disappointing news to folks about butter. It’s made of cream. YEP. Just plain old cream. I seem to find that in the stores right along side the milk…but for some reason these dairy distributors are are unable to take some of that cream and turn it into milk. Perhaps, it is more accurate to say, that with the amount of milk that goes bad in this country, they should learn to make the amounts they need to supply the demand of butter and dairy and take that into account when writing up their books for that year. It seems to be common everywhere else in the world….but apparantly Japanese businesses are unable to manage themselves anymore.
SO….If you are going to do some baking or cooking and want to make butter at home…here is what you do. Buy two or three cartons of cream. Whip the cream with a wisk until it is too thick. Then, replace the wisk with a spoon and keep stirring it. Fold (sprinke while you are stirring) in some salt. Now, while you are doing this contemplate why the fools that run ACOOP and manage the dairy council of Japan are unable to do it by themselves.

]]> By: Homo Sum » Blog Archive » On Shortages, Mostly Food http://globalvoicesonline.org/2008/04/23/japan-where-has-all-the-butter-gone/comment-page-2/#comment-1446541 Homo Sum » Blog Archive » On Shortages, Mostly Food Sat, 03 May 2008 03:01:03 +0000 http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/2008/04/23/japan-where-has-all-the-butter-gone/#comment-1446541 [...] bread prices is a major worry for key American allies like President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt. Japan: Where has all the butter gone? Where is the butter? — cry Japanese consumers who have been hunting everywhere for the dairy [...] [...] bread prices is a major worry for key American allies like President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt. Japan: Where has all the butter gone? Where is the butter? — cry Japanese consumers who have been hunting everywhere for the dairy [...]

]]> By: Global Voices Online » Global: The price of food, the cost of despair http://globalvoicesonline.org/2008/04/23/japan-where-has-all-the-butter-gone/comment-page-2/#comment-1446402 Global Voices Online » Global: The price of food, the cost of despair Fri, 02 May 2008 22:14:01 +0000 http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/2008/04/23/japan-where-has-all-the-butter-gone/#comment-1446402 [...] Not any longer. Price increased for the first time in more than two decades. The same goes for milk products, which consumers been paying for at the same rate for three decades. Beer, cooking oil, and soy [...] [...] Not any longer. Price increased for the first time in more than two decades. The same goes for milk products, which consumers been paying for at the same rate for three decades. Beer, cooking oil, and soy [...]

]]> By:   links for 2008-05-01 by The Veg Blog http://globalvoicesonline.org/2008/04/23/japan-where-has-all-the-butter-gone/comment-page-2/#comment-1445023   links for 2008-05-01 by The Veg Blog Thu, 01 May 2008 00:47:15 +0000 http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/2008/04/23/japan-where-has-all-the-butter-gone/#comment-1445023 [...] Global Voices Online » Japan: Where has all the butter gone? “Empty shelves in the dairy section of grocery stores across the country have not seen a shipment of butter for days…” Hey, sounds good to me. [via Consumerist] (tags: food shortage japan dairy butter) [...] [...] Global Voices Online » Japan: Where has all the butter gone? “Empty shelves in the dairy section of grocery stores across the country have not seen a shipment of butter for days…” Hey, sounds good to me. [via Consumerist] (tags: food shortage japan dairy butter) [...]

]]> By: The R Word: Don’t Panic! « Team Building Is For Suckers http://globalvoicesonline.org/2008/04/23/japan-where-has-all-the-butter-gone/comment-page-2/#comment-1444812 The R Word: Don’t Panic! « Team Building Is For Suckers Wed, 30 Apr 2008 21:01:48 +0000 http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/2008/04/23/japan-where-has-all-the-butter-gone/#comment-1444812 [...] Did you hear the big announcement that Japan is almost out of butter?! [...] [...] Did you hear the big announcement that Japan is almost out of butter?! [...]

]]> By: Simon http://globalvoicesonline.org/2008/04/23/japan-where-has-all-the-butter-gone/comment-page-2/#comment-1443373 Simon Tue, 29 Apr 2008 02:13:53 +0000 http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/2008/04/23/japan-where-has-all-the-butter-gone/#comment-1443373 I was talking to one of the buyers at a major Japanese retailer and he said it is very difficult for them to meet demand. Last Christmas they ran out, and he was very worried about being able to supply enough butter this year. I was talking to one of the buyers at a major Japanese retailer and he said it is very difficult for them to meet demand. Last Christmas they ran out, and he was very worried about being able to supply enough butter this year.

]]> By: 26econ.com » Update on the Japan butter shortage http://globalvoicesonline.org/2008/04/23/japan-where-has-all-the-butter-gone/comment-page-2/#comment-1442440 26econ.com » Update on the Japan butter shortage Sun, 27 Apr 2008 12:45:15 +0000 http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/2008/04/23/japan-where-has-all-the-butter-gone/#comment-1442440 [...] a comment over at MR, I found an interesting interview (translated to English) with a Japanese dairy farmer that attempts to explain the situation: The [...] [...] a comment over at MR, I found an interesting interview (translated to English) with a Japanese dairy farmer that attempts to explain the situation: The [...]

]]> By: Global Voices Online looks at the butter shortage Japan Economy News & Blog - Business, Economy, Marketing and Economic Reports http://globalvoicesonline.org/2008/04/23/japan-where-has-all-the-butter-gone/comment-page-2/#comment-1442324 Global Voices Online looks at the butter shortage Japan Economy News & Blog - Business, Economy, Marketing and Economic Reports Sun, 27 Apr 2008 07:10:38 +0000 http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/2008/04/23/japan-where-has-all-the-butter-gone/#comment-1442324 [...] Tokita over at Global Voices has posted an interesting article entitled Where has all the butter gone? As US retail shops grab headlines by rationing rice to customers, there has been a rash of [...] [...] Tokita over at Global Voices has posted an interesting article entitled Where has all the butter gone? As US retail shops grab headlines by rationing rice to customers, there has been a rash of [...]

]]> By: Arsebanging Friday #Bob-Dylan « παρα εξι http://globalvoicesonline.org/2008/04/23/japan-where-has-all-the-butter-gone/comment-page-2/#comment-1440855 Arsebanging Friday #Bob-Dylan « παρα εξι Fri, 25 Apr 2008 06:40:38 +0000 http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/2008/04/23/japan-where-has-all-the-butter-gone/#comment-1440855 [...] Το βούτυρο στην Ιαπωνία τελείωσε. [...] [...] Το βούτυρο στην Ιαπωνία τελείωσε. [...]

]]> By: News Archive » Would you eat dirt? http://globalvoicesonline.org/2008/04/23/japan-where-has-all-the-butter-gone/comment-page-2/#comment-1440347 News Archive » Would you eat dirt? Thu, 24 Apr 2008 17:11:58 +0000 http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/2008/04/23/japan-where-has-all-the-butter-gone/#comment-1440347 [...] Kathy McKinneyI’m not ashamed to admit that I’m scared these days.  I’m a voracious reader, particularly of news sites online, and what I’ve been reading does not make for restful nights.  Did you know that in Haiti, people are eating dirt? Yes, dirt.  Vendors are selling butter and salt flavored dirt to starving people.  When I was a kid, Mary Elizabeth Cravey (now Shehane) and I used to eat dirt in the back yard with gigantic spoons we’d steal from her mama’s kitchen, so I can say, I’m something of an expert.  You have to be darned hungry to eat dirt.  (Unless you’re seven years old, of course.)  How long until the Haitians tire of their dirt diet and join the hordes of illegal aliens we’re already trying to care for here now?People are hungry all over: there have been food riots all over Egypt, the Caribbean, and the Phillipines, and the Director General of the UN FAO is predicting new ones in Asian countries.   The price of the food staples of the poor: rice, wheat, and corn has been growing at an alarming rate.  Food prices in Indonesia, for instance, are up 80% over two years ago.  Rice prices are at a 20 year high, wheat is at a 28 year high…and countries are bidding up the prices in a frantic effort to stockpile enough to feed starving populations.  OK, well enough, it’s horrible and all that, but what does that have to do with us, right here in Dixie County?  Have you been to the grocery store lately?  Prices here are up, too.  I felt the increase in corn prices just the other day as my normal dog food bill at the feed store went up almost 10% overnight.  A courthouse chat with Ray Hodges about the price he’s charging for his beef (he’s going to have to raise it due to…you guessed it…feed costs) reminded me that the price of fertilizer is also climbing.One side effect of rising grocery prices I’ve noticed is that more people seem to be planting gardens this year.  Heck, I planted one, and I have killed a cactus.  Yes, really, I have.  I left it out in the rain.  Apparently, they’re not as indestructible as you’d think and rain is bad for cacti. Since my friend Doug is doing most of the work (with the “assistance” of my three plant-stomping kids), the garden will hopefully have a better shot at survival than the ill-fated cactus.That’s one blessing that we have, as a rural people.  Most of us have the land and the knowledge of how to provide some of our own food.  Like Hank, Jr.  says, “He can skin a buck, he can run a trout line, and a country boy can survive.” Darn good thing, because I have the unnerving certainty that we’re going to need some of that self-reliance in the days ahead.  Do your family a favor; plant something.  Just in case. UPDATE: Link to story about Japan’s butter shortage  [...] [...] Kathy McKinneyI’m not ashamed to admit that I’m scared these days.  I’m a voracious reader, particularly of news sites online, and what I’ve been reading does not make for restful nights.  Did you know that in Haiti, people are eating dirt? Yes, dirt.  Vendors are selling butter and salt flavored dirt to starving people.  When I was a kid, Mary Elizabeth Cravey (now Shehane) and I used to eat dirt in the back yard with gigantic spoons we’d steal from her mama’s kitchen, so I can say, I’m something of an expert.  You have to be darned hungry to eat dirt.  (Unless you’re seven years old, of course.)  How long until the Haitians tire of their dirt diet and join the hordes of illegal aliens we’re already trying to care for here now?People are hungry all over: there have been food riots all over Egypt, the Caribbean, and the Phillipines, and the Director General of the UN FAO is predicting new ones in Asian countries.   The price of the food staples of the poor: rice, wheat, and corn has been growing at an alarming rate.  Food prices in Indonesia, for instance, are up 80% over two years ago.  Rice prices are at a 20 year high, wheat is at a 28 year high…and countries are bidding up the prices in a frantic effort to stockpile enough to feed starving populations.  OK, well enough, it’s horrible and all that, but what does that have to do with us, right here in Dixie County?  Have you been to the grocery store lately?  Prices here are up, too.  I felt the increase in corn prices just the other day as my normal dog food bill at the feed store went up almost 10% overnight.  A courthouse chat with Ray Hodges about the price he’s charging for his beef (he’s going to have to raise it due to…you guessed it…feed costs) reminded me that the price of fertilizer is also climbing.One side effect of rising grocery prices I’ve noticed is that more people seem to be planting gardens this year.  Heck, I planted one, and I have killed a cactus.  Yes, really, I have.  I left it out in the rain.  Apparently, they’re not as indestructible as you’d think and rain is bad for cacti. Since my friend Doug is doing most of the work (with the “assistance” of my three plant-stomping kids), the garden will hopefully have a better shot at survival than the ill-fated cactus.That’s one blessing that we have, as a rural people.  Most of us have the land and the knowledge of how to provide some of our own food.  Like Hank, Jr.  says, “He can skin a buck, he can run a trout line, and a country boy can survive.” Darn good thing, because I have the unnerving certainty that we’re going to need some of that self-reliance in the days ahead.  Do your family a favor; plant something.  Just in case. UPDATE: Link to story about Japan’s butter shortage  [...]

]]> By: Hey, you! · If it quacks like a duck http://globalvoicesonline.org/2008/04/23/japan-where-has-all-the-butter-gone/comment-page-1/#comment-1440251 Hey, you! · If it quacks like a duck Thu, 24 Apr 2008 14:47:03 +0000 http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/2008/04/23/japan-where-has-all-the-butter-gone/#comment-1440251 [...] there’s a butter shortage in Japan. [...] [...] there’s a butter shortage in Japan. [...]

]]>