"Okesa persimmon", a specialty of Sado City, Niigata Prefecture, has turned yellow and is at the peak of shipping.

Named after the folk song "Sado Okesa", "Okesa Persimmon" is characterized by its seedlessness and strong sweetness. In Sado City, about 700 farmers ship more than 5,000 tons every year.



The harvested persimmons are transported to JA's fruit sorting plant, placed in a dedicated room for about two days to remove astringency, and then sorted by size by machine and packed in a box.



From the end of September, the harvest of this year's "Tone Hayao" has been carried out, and from the 19th, the collection of the main variety "Hiratanenashi" has started, and the shipment of Okesa persimmons has started. It will reach its peak.



This year's Okesa persimmon is expected to be shipped less due to the effects of late spring frost and the subsequent strong winds that can actually damage it.



"The growing conditions of this year are slightly affected by the frost and wind in April. I think that sales will decrease by nearly 20% compared to last year," said Ichiyoshi Handa, director of JA Hamo Okesa Persimmon Fruit Sorting Plant. The persimmon has a high sugar content, so I definitely want you to eat it. "



The shipping work of "Okesa Persimmon" will continue until mid-November, and will be shipped to Tokyo and Hokkaido.