Manitoba's Agriculture Minister feels her trade mission to Japan earlier this month was a successful one.


Rosann Wowchuk made the trip with the main goal of promoting the province's functional food and nutraceutical industry.


Wowchuk notes there's tremendous interest in those products.


She adds the demand for new options is tremendous, and feels a number of made in Manitoba products could fill the demand.


Also, Wowchuk says there's also a great deal of interest in resuming turkey imports from Manitoba.


She notes the Japanese market demands a smaller bird than what we currently produce, but she feels we could fill that niche.


Wowchuk also met with the Japanese Buckwheat Millers Association which indicated it wants to continue its valuable relationship with our province.


She says officials want to do more research in Manitoba, and ultimately use more Manitoba buckwheat in their products.