Fishery and agricultural markets

As primary industries, fisheries and agriculture are important foundations of society. In recent years, societal issues, such as climate change, environmental change, and the aging of society, have seriously affected the productivity and sustainability of these primary industries.

In the fisheries industry, the species of fish caught by natural fisheries have undergone significant changes due to rising water temperatures. To compensate for this trend, off-the-coast aquaculture and coastal aquaculture are on the rise. However, even with aquaculture, the number of fish deaths in ocean fish ponds is on the rise due to abnormal weather. This is a critical situation for Japan, an island country. To overcome this change, land-based aquaculture has emerged, and commercialization research is ongoing. There are also challenges related to water treatment, such as reducing the cost of artificial seawater and eliminating disease. Thus, separation membranes are expected to play an important role in this developing industry.

Meanwhile, the agricultural workforce is aging. Accordingly, the emergence of smart agriculture using IoT and AI is expected to improve production efficiency and solve labor shortages. At the same time, however, the industry also faces challenges such as soaring energy and fertilizer costs due to social conditions. In addition, there are concerns that soil and water resources may be contaminated by chemical fertilizers and pesticides. To address these mounting problems, separation membranes are being used for the disinfection of liquid fertilizers in hydroponic cultivation, aiming to improve efficiency through automation, reduce chemical usage, and stabilize crop quality. This method is attracting attention as a new technology.