Japanese people are eating less red meat

Japanese producers of marbled beef (wagyu) are seeking to increase export quotas due to declining demand for red meat in the domestic market. This is due to the trend among the Japanese to eat less red meat and high-fat meat for health reasons, writes the South China Morning Post. Wagyu is made from the meat of Japanese black breed cows, which are raised under strict conditions in a limited area in Mie Prefecture, where the purity of the breed is strictly monitored. Cattle (cattle) are grown for 3 years, and only castrated or virgin bulls weighing no more than 470 kg are used for meat. Every year, 8,000 heads of such cattle are processed for consumption. At the same time, the export quota is currently only 24 heads. The Beef Producers Association, together with the authorities of the city of Matsusaka in Mie Prefecture, plans to increase the quota to 700 head in 2024. This is because wagyu meat is characterized by an extremely ...