The government also provides price support in cases where starch manufacturers have purchased potatoes and sweet potatoes at prices higher than the official producer prices. The producer price for soybeans was set at 14,218 Yen per 60 kilograms, the price that has prevailed for the past five years. Area Import Promotion Program Approved On October 1, the ministers of MAFF, the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Transportation and the Ministry of Home Affairs approved an import promotion program for the area surrounding Okayama Airport, in Okayama Prefecture, in accordance with the Law Concerning Extraordinary Measures for the Promotion of Foreign Investment and the Facilitation of Foreign Direct Investment in Japan. Okayama airport is expected to cope with an increase in imports of goods from other Asian countries, such as the Peoples' Republic of China, the Republic of Korea and Hong Kong. Groups Involving Senior Citizens Receive Prizes On October 8, MAFF announced that three groups engaged in agricultural, forestry or fisheries production, or community activities, received the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Prize.
Senior citizens play an important role in all three groups.
Prizes will be presented at a ceremony at MAFF on October 30. Of the three Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries prizes awarded, one was given to the Daito-cho Shibutami 11th district production group, from Iwate Prefecture. Eighteen senior citizens in Ajisai played a key role in this endeavor. The Kawajiri Fisheries Association Women's League, from Yamaguchi Prefecture, has set up meal services and birthday parties for senior citizens. The group, which comprises 164 members, including 85 senior citizens, has also organized cooking classes in which senior citizens teach young people traditional methods of preparing fish.