The daily news about the situation in Iran these days is truly heartbreaking.

Whatever the reason, wars breaking out all over the world are not just conflicts between nations, but also incredibly tragic events that cause immense suffering to ordinary civilians who are not directly involved. I sincerely hope that the wars will end as soon as possible.

Amidst all this, crude oil prices, which have a huge impact on our daily lives, are also rising. Crude oil prices, the prices of various oils worldwide, and the weak yen are all contributing to price increases for everything that enters Japan. It's a real problem.

However, a crisis can be an opportunity. Chemical fertilizers, which Japan imports in large quantities, are also among those affected.

I believe the price of imported chemical fertilizers has risen by at least 150% in the last few years. For farmers who use them, this is a very serious problem as costs increase even if they do nothing.

Amidst these circumstances, our group company operates an organic fertilizer center, selling the organic fertilizers we manufacture primarily in the local area and throughout Japan. In these times, the government is also promoting initiatives to encourage the use of domestically produced fertilizers as a national policy.

In fact, demand for the organic fertilizers we manufacture has been higher than usual in recent years, and recently, due to the spring usage season, we have been experiencing shortages.

The other day, we held an organic farming study session in our local area, which was also a great success with a full house.

With the price of chemical fertilizers rising, I felt that interest in organic farming is also growing in the local community.

Especially in these times, I hope to contribute, even in a small way, to good agriculture and the cultivation of products that benefit Japan's land.

There's been a lot of gloomy news lately, but let's turn this crisis into an opportunity and get through it!

Tomoatsu Hashimoto

Here are some photos from the organic farming study session held the other day ↓↓