AI farming tool from BASF finds fertile ground in Japan's rice country

German group harnesses satellite, weather data to help understaffed growers

A rice grower harvests his crop in Japan's Niigata prefecture. The average age of Japanese farmers is nearing 68. (Photo by Tadanori Yoshida)

TAITO KUROSE, Nikkei staff writer

December 11, 2022 11:38 JST

TOKYO -- German chemical group BASF has gained a foothold in Japan's rice country with a tool that uses artificial intelligence to help skilled farmers make up for a shortage of labor.

Yamazaki Rice, based near Tokyo in Saitama prefecture, began using BASF's Xarvio Field Manager system this year with five workers on about 100 hectares of land.