Ponkan, which Ehime Prefecture boasts the highest production in Japan, is harvested in Seiyo City, one of the prefecture's leading production areas.
In Akehama-cho, Seiyo City, about 120 farmers grow ponkan.
Of these, Kazuya Inaba's garden began harvesting from the end of last month, and on the 21st of this month, four people, including Mr. Inaba and a local farmer who came to help, worked on the work.
Farmers used scissors to hand-harvest the orange-colored fruits one by one.
According to "JA Higashi Uwa", which has jurisdiction over Akehama Town, this year's Ponkan is expected to have a high sugar content of about 400 tons, which is about the same as the average year, due to the effect of less rain in the fall. increase.
Most ponkans are left for about a month after harvest to calm the acidity before shipping.
Mr. Inaba said, "The taste is quite good. It will be even more delicious from February after a while, so I definitely want you to enjoy it."
Ponkan in Seiyo City will be shipped mainly in the Kanto region to Kansai and Ehime prefectures, and will continue to be shipped until the end of next month.