Saga Prefecture to promote Saga beef in New York

Saga Prefecture is participating in the ‘Japan Furusato Meisan Food Exhibition’ in New York from October 23 to 25. Organized by the Japan Association of Governors, the event aims to promote Japanese specialty foods to consumers and businesses in the United States.

Saga Prefecture will specifically showcase Saga beef to expand its sales channels. The prefecture is looking to reach the U.S. East Coast to complement its existing presence on the West Coast. This initiative follows the 2023 opening of the ‘KAKEHASHI’ meat center in Taku City, which was certified as a facility for exporting beef to the United States. Since then, Saga's beef exports to the U.S. have increased significantly, rising from 9.4 tons in the previous fiscal year to 35.6 tons in 2025.

Local producers face challenges due to rising feed costs, which have increased the price of calves by approximately 1.6 times over the last two years. Expanding international sales, particularly in the U.S. market where beef consumption is high, is seen as a vital strategy to maintain profitability amidst these rising costs and the weak yen.