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Tuna Supply Amount Slightly Declines in January thru March
February 24, 2009
The 4th Tuna Supply-Demand Council and Forecast Meeting for the year of 2008 by the Fisheries Agency summarized the supply-demand trend of tuna for sashimi.
The supply amount from October to December 2008 (the sum of production and imported amounts) "slightly declined" in comparison with the previous year. However, when compared with the previous period (July thru September 2008), the supply amount slightly grew. Wholesale prices moved weakly.
The stock quantities (in November 2008) amounted to 61,358 tons, or a 33 percent rise, contrasted with three months ago, and a seven percent increase over a year earlier. A wholesale price of frozen big-eye tuna, based on a price at the Tsukiji Market from October through December 2008, was \1,006, or 88 percent of the previous year and 95 percent of the previous quarter.
| Tuna Supply-Demand Info. |
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| Recent Trend |
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Production Amount
Oct. - Dec. 2008 | Import Amount
Oct. - Dec. 2008 | Stock Amount
November 2008 | Wholesale Price (Tsukiji)
Oct. - Dec. 2008 | | Total | | 38,419 tons | | Year to Year Basis | 75% | | Yearly Average | 76% | | Quarter to Quarter Basis | 76% |
| | Total | | 37,235 tons | | Year to Year Basis | 73% | | yearly average | 62% | | Quarter to Quarter Basis | 102% |
| | Total | | 61,358 tons | | Year to Year Basis | 107% | | Yearly Average | 107% | | Quarter to Quarter Basis | 133% |
| | Frozen Tuna Total | | \1,461/kg | | Year to Year Basis | 104% | | Yearly Average | 108% | | Quarter to Quarter Basis | 94% |
| Frozen
| | 25,610 tons | | Year to Year Basis | 75% | | Yearly Average | 75% | | Quarter to Quarter Basis | 81% |
| Frozen
| | 26,259 tons | | Year to Year Basis | 68% | | yearly average | 57% | | Quarter to Quarter Basis | 91% |
| Big-eyed Tuna
| | 16,857 tons | | Year to Year Basis | 87% | | Yearly Average | 100% | | Quarter to Quarter Basis | 96% |
| | Big-eyed Tuna (Frozen) | | \1,006/kg | | Year to Year Basis | 88% | | Yearly Average | 111% | | Quarter to Quarter Basis | 95% |
| | Fresh | | 12,809 tons | | Year to Year Basis | 76% | | Yearly Average | 80% | | Quarter to Quarter Basis | 69% |
| | Fresh | | 10,976 tons | | Year to Year Basis | 108% | | yearly average | 79% | | Quarter to Quarter Basis | 143% |
| | Yellowfin | | 18,886 tons | | Year to Year Basis | 114% | | Yearly Average | 101% | | Quarter to Quarter Basis | 142% |
| | Yellowfin (Frozen) | | \834/kg | | Year to Year Basis | 116% | | Yearly Average | 134% | | Quarter to Quarter Basis | 91% |
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Supply-Demand Forecast
Jan. - March 2009 |
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Production Amount
Year to Year Basis: Slight decline
Yearly Average: Slight decline
Quarter to Quarter Basis :Slight decline
Import Amount
Year to Year Basis: Average
Yearly Average: Decline
Quarter to Quarter Basis: Increase | Overall Supply Total
Year to Year Basis: Slight decline
Yearly Average: Declinee
Quarter to Quarter Basis: Slight increase
Wholesale Price
Year to Year Basis: Slight weaknesse
Yearly Average: Slight weakness
Quarter to Quarter Basis: Slight weakness |
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| 1. | The forecast of supply and demand is based on wholesale markets; a year-to-year comparison covers a period of January to March 2008; a yearly average indicates a period of January to March from 2004 thru 2008; and a quarter-to-quarter basis means a comparison with a period ofOctober to December 2008. | | 2. | Both production and import amounts are the aggregates of tuna for sashimi use (except for standardized products of tuna and marlin for canned use) investigated by the Fisheries Agency; and therefore the numbers differ from official statistics. | | 3. | The stock amount was derived from a preliminary report of cold marine products distribution statistics by theMinistry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishery (albacore is excluded). | | 4. | The wholesale price (in Tokyo) was surveyed by the Japan Fisheries Information Service Center. A total of frozen tuna indicates an average of combined weight of bluefin, Southern bluefin, big-eyed, and yellowfin tuna. |
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The original article was published on February 24, 2009 and was translated by Kiyo Hayasaka.
Sanyu Industries Ltd. Attempts at Fillet Processing at -20°C
February 24, 2009
Sanyu Industries Ltd., under management of President Toshihiro Nobata, manufactures high quality food machineries, such as a fillet machine "Super Ita-san" (Super Sushi Chef), making the best of skills cultivated through its automation system business. The company is earning high marks from client users for its high-precision, quality products.
The company constantly incorporates cutting-edge technologies and machinery to provide such high quality products and expertise in the versatile fields of rubber injection molding machinery, factory automation, refuse fermentation treatment system production, energy operation, and aerospace instrument manufacture.
The company's endeavor to utilize well-cultivated skills and proficiency in these different arenas has led to a "Super Ita-san" series. Despite its relatively low production volume of food machineries, the quality and accuracy of the fillet machines the company's high expertise produces is outstanding.
"Super Ita-san" can be easily controlled by a touch panel, sterically processing fish. With weight, length, and width of fish being instantly calculated, the machine cuts it up at appropriate yield ratios after arranging the head and tail parts of different sizes. The setting can be freely adjusted, enabling it to slice fish in preferred shapes. The machine processes 3,600 fillets per hour, exhibiting an excellent capability. It can handle the following fish species: salmon, mero (patagonian toothfish), Greenland halibut, pacific cold, Japanese Spanish mackerel, and amberjack. The series consist of a reasonably priced "Wakadaisho" (young general), an automatic fillet feeder "Okami-san" (landlady), and a fillet counting machine "Nakai Kazuko san" with all humorous names.
New Addition, "Takumi"
The company is currently developing a new machine, named "Takumi" (artisan), which enables to process fish frozen at -20°C. Fish in circulation is frozen at -20°C; fish needs to be defrosted up to -5°C, in order to be processed without generating any residues. Many processors were asking for a machine, which "could handle frozen fish." Thus, the company began undertaking this unprecedented idea. The test model received a great deal of positive feedback at the International Food Machinery and Technology Exhibition (FOOMA) last year. Many of tuna processors, among others, have inquired about this new machine, providing the company a new potential market expansion. Completion of the machine is set for next year.
The original article was published on February 24, 2009 and was translated by Kiyo Hayasaka.
Nippon Suisan Decides on TOB for Daisui
February 23, 2009
Nippon Suisan (Nissui) reached a decision on February 20 that the company would conduct a tender offer (TOB) for common stock of Daisui (located in Osaka). As a result of recent poor business performance and being designated as a trade control brand (under examination) by the Osaka Securities Exchange, Daisui added an annotation, "matters concerning premises of a going business," in both the third quarter results and the quarterly report. The company already entered into an agreement with its largest stockholder, Nissui, on February 5. Nissui currently possesses 7.94 percent of outstanding stock of Daisui; Nissui will conduct the TOB for the purpose of further acquirement of Daisui's stock. Taking Daisui's current circumstances into consideration, Nissui will not set a minimum or maximum amount of stock for purchase, saying that the company's intention is not to acquire all of the already issued common stock or delist the stock of Daisui. The TOB price is \184 per share.
Immediate Consideration of Capital and Business Tie-ups
Concerning business support after the TOB, Nissui says, "It is imperative that we immediately undertake capital and business tie-ups, in order not to damage a value of Daisui. We will map out the details of the partnership, such as fundamental reform of Daisui's business structure under the bilateral project team as well as determination of a number of administrators dispatched from Nissui to Daisui for prompt recovery of Daisui's social trust and business performance. At this point, there are no decisions made, yet."
The agreement reached between Nissui and Daisui on February 5 consists of the following four items: 1) Nissui provides overall leading business support to Daisui; 2) Nissui dispatches the main management team to Daisui; 3) Daisui institutes and thoroughly practices detailed improvement measures for corporate governance and compliance, with the help of Nissui; and 4) Nissui furnishes financial support by upgrading a stockholding ratio of the stock possessed by Nissui.
Daisui posted net profit losses of \478 million in 2007 and \1.514 billion in 2008. For this third quarter, the company announced another net profit deficit of \440 million. In addition, as a result of misconduct by a former department director, which was detected last October, the company was appointed as a trade control brand by the Osaka Securities Exchange. Under these adverse circumstances, the company was facing impossibility of refinance of a short-term loan from the financial institutions.
The original article was published on February 23, 2009 and was translated by Kiyo Hayasaka.
Inquiry concerning The Suisan Times: suisan@suisantimes.co.jp
Inquiry concerning The Frozen Food Times: reisyoku@suisantimes.co.jp
