Agriculture Minister Rosann Wowchuk will be promoting Manitoba's nutraceutical and functional food industry in Japan today through October 6th.


The trade mission will include roundtable meetings with Canada's embassy staff to promote the variety of value added products produced in our province.


Discussions are also planned with functional food producers, members of the nutraceutical industry, and meat importers.


Wowchuk will also meet with representitives of the Japanese Buckwheat Millers Association to investigate future opporutnities.


The value of Manitoba agri-food exports to Japan has steadily risen to almost $500 million in 2004 from over $344 million in 2000.