Foreign visitors are flocking to Ukiha Town-based small-scale farm equipment manufacturer Chikusui Canycom. The company has built up a reputation overseas for excellent equipment that can be used on steep slopes and in thick weeds. Canycom began selling its goods in Switzerland in 1985 and now sells to 40 countries around the world. It aims to expand its reach to 100 countries, with particular focus on China, India, and the countries of Africa. Canycom began hiring foreign exchange students in 2007 to help conduct overseas market surveys. This month, a 10-member delegation from Africa visited Canycom’s facilities under the auspices of a Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) training program. According to JICA, African countries are trying to expand agriculture, including rice, cacao and fresh flowers, but they still rely heavily on manual labor due to the terrain and the poor state of roads in some areas. At Canycom, they saw first-hand how the company’s machines, equipped with rubber tracks and tight turning radii, can be used on rough terrain. “The machines are all very unique and I definitely want to use them to develop agriculture my country”, said One training program participant from Gambia. Canycom president Hitoshi Kaneyuki used the opportunity to ascertain the needs of the African market, asking the members what kinds of crops grow in their countries and what difficulties they faced. Source: Nishinippon Shimbun 10/28
