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Okinawa Farmers Discard 10,000 Cabbages as Prices Crash: “The More We Ship, the More We Lose”
In Ginoza Village, Okinawa, farmers are facing a tough reality: discarding 10,000 cabbages due to plummeting prices. “The more we ship, the more we lose,” one farmer laments, summing up the financial bind that’s forced this bitter decision. After ramping up production earlier this year to capitalize on high prices, these farmers now watch their efforts go to waste as the vegetable market takes a sharp downturn.
A Harvest Left to Rot
Fields in Ginoza Village are lined with about 10,000 ripe cabbages, ready for harvest but destined for disposal. What started as a hopeful season—fueled by soaring cabbage prices late last year—has turned sour. By April, prices began to drop, leaving farmers with no viable way to break even. A 40-year-old farmer, who grows cabbages and bitter melons (goya), stands amid his crops and sighs, “It’s heartbreaking to throw away something we worked so hard to grow.”
The Math Doesn’t Add Up
The economics are brutal. On May 17, a box of six cabbages fetched just 400 yen at auction. Subtract the 150-yen cost of the cardboard box, and each cabbage nets a mere 40 yen. “With rising costs for materials and labor, we need at least 100 yen per cabbage to make a profit,” the farmer explains. As prices kept falling, he decided to discard the 10,000 cabbages he’d planned to ship by early June, when the harvest season ends.
What Caused the Price Drop?
Overproduction and excess inventory are the culprits, according to the farmer. Last year’s high prices stemmed from poor growing conditions, prompting farmers to plant more this season. Good weather and a cold spell that kept pests at bay resulted in a bumper crop. “By April 10, the market was flooded with high-quality cabbages selling at dirt-cheap prices,” he recalls. As other regions started harvesting, the surplus grew, and wholesalers were left with more stock than they could move. “Even at low prices, we had to beg them to take whatever they could,” he adds.
A Wider Trend in the Vegetable Market
A representative from Okinawa Cooperative Fruits and Vegetables notes that low prices aren’t unique to cabbages—vegetables across the board are selling cheap. “Cabbage prices were unusually high earlier this year, so this is more of a market correction,” they say. Looking forward, they’re optimistic: “When mainland Japan stops producing cabbages, Okinawa’s off-season supply could command higher prices.”
A Farmer’s Call for Help
The Ginoza farmer is pleading for a stable pricing system that isn’t swayed by unpredictable market shifts. “If a cabbage sells for around 260 yen at retail, that’s a price where both farmers and wholesalers can profit,” he suggests. His appeal to consumers is heartfelt: “Even if it’s a bit more expensive, please buy local vegetables and support us farmers.” (Reported by Kota Tamayose)
