Japan is currently experiencing a shortage of orange juice, affecting the availability of various products. Megmilk Snow Brand and Morinaga Milk, Japanese distributors for Dole and Sunkist respectively, have announced suspensions in sales of certain orange juice carton sizes.
This shortage is attributed to a combination of factors, including significant rain damage and a citrus disease outbreak in Brazil, a major supplier of oranges to Japan. Concurrently, demand for orange juice is increasing while the yen's value is decreasing, complicating importation due to rising costs. Japan, with its limited arable land and focus on crops like rice and mikan, faces challenges in boosting domestic orange juice production. The situation is exacerbated by the unsuitability of mikan for juice production, as it results in a syrupy beverage unlike the desired orange juice consistency.
Source: soranews24.com