Commercial cultivation of Shinano Gold, a variety of yellow apples developed in Nagano Prefecture, will start in Italy this year as part of the prefecture’s attempt to break into the European market.
Apple growers’ organizations in Italy will promote the apple’s production in major production areas and market the product in European Union nations.
The prefectural government, which has a plant breeder’s right for the variety, has signed a license contract with the South Tyrolean Fruit Growers’ Cooperatives and the Val Venosta Cooperative Association to receive licensing fees from the association based on sales of the apples and nursery trees.
It is the first deal in which a variety of fruit from Japan will be grown in foreign soil under a licensing arrangement, according to the prefectural government.
Representatives of the two associations were expected to visit the prefectural government on Thursday, May 29, and the following day to discuss details for marketing the product in supermarkets in Europe under the Yellow brand.
Unlike in Japan where most of marketed apples are red, yellow apples are as popular as red ones in Europe, and the associations expect Shinano Gold to be given high marks in the European market, following Golden Delicious, the main brand of European yellow apples.
After signing the contract in 2007, the prefectural government and the two associations have been conducting trial cultivation and market research, and began commercial cultivation after obtaining favorable results.
Italian-grown Shinano Gold apples will not be imported to Japan due to plant epidemic prevention reasons.
(May 30, 2014)