The reality facing Japanese cherries with falling hectares and production

According to a new report from the US Department of Agriculture, USDA, Yamagata Prefecture, located north of Tokyo, Japan, produces approximately 75% of the country's fresh cherries, followed by Hokkaido and Yamanashi prefectures. Like Japanese agriculture in general, the cherry industry is struggling with labor. According to the USDA, Japan's cherry acreage has been declining each year. In the 2023-2024 campaign, the planted acreage of fresh cherries in Japan was reduced to 4,200 hectares, compared to 4,230 hectares in the 2022-2023 campaign. USDA projected that this trend will continue in the 2024-2025 campaign, with a planted acreage of 4,200 hectares. Varieties In Japan, fresh cherries are produced in three main varieties: satonishiki, beni-shuhou, and beni-sayaka, accounting for 70%, 20%, and 5% of production, respectively. Satonishki has long held the top position as the most familiar variety to Japanese consumers. However, growing only one variety carries the risk of ...