According to figures published by the Okinawa Prefecture General Bureau, the exports of beverages and grocery items from Okinawa to overseas in 2014 increased 9 % to ¥1.454 billion yen compared to the previous year. The figure is the highest on record.

Among the items, the exports of sea cucumbers that are mostly shipped to Hong Kong where they are sold as an expensive ingredient in Chinese cuisine decreased because harvesting sea cucumber was partly banned as a protection measure. On the other hand, the exports of beer, beef and pork increased, and buoyed the value of exports as a whole.

The Okinawa General Bureau Cabinet Office reported the figures at the Export Promotion Committee meeting held on Mar. 9th. The Bureau had calculated the export figures of the past six years based on information from the Okinawa Regional Customs Office. Exports in the beverages category increased 41.9 % to ¥443 million, mostly because shipments of beer, the leader in the beverage section, increased by 37 % to ¥276 million.

The export of Awamori decreased 41 % to just ¥5 million. Meat related products increased 74.7 % to ¥152 million yen.  Fishery products decreased 42.8 % to ¥343 million as sea cucumbers decreased 47 % to ¥154 million.

The total value of exports to Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore all increased. In the committee meeting, the prospects of Halal food business was added in the agenda in the Export Promotion Committee report of the export figures of 2014.

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