It Sounds Corny, But It’s True

Pizza is one of the reasons that the Japanese have become the leading importer of U.S. processed sweet corn, according to Agriculture Department trade experts.

Confused?

Well, that’s probably because few Americans are in the habit of topping their pizza with corn.

But in Japan, the popularity of corn as a pizza topping has helped make Japan the world’s largest buyer of U.S. sweet corn.

In 1993, Japan bought $78 million worth of processed sweet corn from U.S. producers, 20 percent more than the previous year, according to the department’s Foreign Agricultural Service.

The Japanese like the versatility and ease with which frozen and canned corn can be prepared, the FAS said. But they apparently like it best on their pizza.