Chemicals

June 14, 2003

 

System for Tracing Farm Products by Cell Phone Offered

Keywords: Chemicals Food Manufacturing industry Non-manufacturing industry 

Noah, Inc., a Japanese website design and software development company, has put on sale an internet system that keeps track of production data on farm products from field to market. The system, called "Hatake-no-Toresaburo", can be easily accessed via personal computer or cell phone. Noah is also offering a service for using the system at a low monthly cost of 4,500 yen (US$ 37.81) to make it more accessible to small- and medium-sized farms.

Using this system, farmers can disclose various types of farm production information, such as what kind of materials, including agrichemicals and fertilizers, were used in raising the crops. By inputting the data to a computer, they can create a detailed production record on the web. It also enables farmers to send out pictures of their crops using a camera-equipped cell phone.

Consumers can recieve detailed information about of the quality of farm products and find out how, where and by whom a product in the store was grown by inputting a code number (QR Code) on the product label into the system's website, called up on a cell phone display or computer. Viewing websites is possible on most Japanese cell phones.

The system can be customized to meet users' needs. Noah aims to promote the system with agricultural cooperatives, consumer organizations that buy farm products directly from producers, and food manufacturers who want to establish a traceability system for their products.

Developing a system for tracing farm products is essential for ensuring food safety and reliability through the disclosure of production records. It will also help solve problems in the case of accidents. However, the main difficulties in expanding the use of this system among farmers might include resistance to increasing costs and to disclosing agrichemical use.



Posted: 2003/06/14 09:32:21 AM
Japanese version

 

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