Greenhouse Kosui pears tend to be shipped about a month earlier than outdoor-grown Kosui pears. Because it is carefully grown in the Greenhouse, there is no need to worry about pests and diseases, and there is no variation in quality. In 2022, the flowering period will be the same as usual, and it seems that the fruit setting is progressing well. Due to the early end of the rainy season and the continuing hot weather, the balls are expected to start to be a little small, but the quality and sugar content are sufficient, and we can expect smooth shipments.
At the JA Kita-Tsukuba Shimodate pear joint fruit sorting plant in Nunokawa, the same fruit sorting plant members brought in. After a fruit sorter visually inspects each ball for flaws, color, etc., they are sorted by size and shape using a fruit sorting machine, graded, packed in 10 kg boxes, and shipped to the Keihin Market. On the previous day, a meeting was held by the producers to unify the selection criteria. The city is one of the oldest pear-producing areas in Japan, having opened a pear orchard in 1857, and has been designated as a prefectural brand production area. At the fruit sorting plant, fresh pears brought in by members of the department can be purchased at the adjacent direct sales store, and it seems to be bustling with customers every year who come to buy pears for gifts. Kosui pear shipments peak between August 1st and August 7th, with shipments expected to reach approximately 3,000 tons per day. From the end of August, shipments will continue until October, relaying varieties such as “Hosui-nashi”, “Akizuki-nashi”, “Niitaka-nashi”, “Shinko Pear” and “Nikkori-nashi”.
Ibaraki Prefecture is the third largest pear producing area in Japan (shipment volume in 2020) after Chiba Prefecture and Nagano Prefecture. With a history of pear cultivation dating back to the Edo period, it is renowned as one of the oldest pear-producing areas in Japan and is treasured in Japan. The climate, which has a large temperature difference between day and night, abundant water, and rich soil, is suitable for growing pears. It seems If it’s the same as usual, we’ll start with Greenhouse Kosui Pear in early July.