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Japanese Grape Production

An Example of High Value Horticulture

How can 1 acre generate a living wage?

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A fundamental key to survival is that Japanese consumers appreciate and are willing to pay for very high quality fruit.

Although currently valued at about 140 to the dollar, when I was in Japan the yen (¥) was worth about 1 penny or 100¥ = $1. That made currency conversion easy, just divide ¥ by 100 to get US $'s.

All but two of the pictures below were taken in July at a fruit display in the supermarket where I did my shopping in Tsukuba. July is only the beginning of the main season, and these prices are not exttreme.

The fruit pictured here are peaches and Japanese Pears. Note the great SALE price - $5.50 each. Fruit sold individually are usually bought for home consumption. Peeled, and sliced at the table, a single fruit will be dessert for the whole family.

Note how uniform in size, color and appearance is this fruit. You will have to trust me to say that it is all fully mature in terms of Japanese preference. High sugar, low acidity, crisp textures, bright red color, very regular and large shape and lack of any external or internal blemish is required. There are no seconds; I only saw first quality fruit in the market. I later learned that only first quality fruit is produced.

In Japan it is even more unthinkable than here in the US, to visit someone without bringing a gift. Fruit is a favorite. Boxed fruit assortments such as these are frequently given as business gifts as well as among friends.

These melons are usually produced in green houses. The individual plants are staked and the developing melons individually supported so that nothing mars their appearance. I love melons, but doubt that I would ever be willing to spend more than $50 for one. These prices are not out of the ordinary. Melons produced out of season sell for more than $100.

I now understand the reason for the intensive breeding program in Australia to produce such netted melons for the Japanese market. To date they have been unable to meet the Japanese preferences.

Not only fresh fruit fetches what we would consider extraordinary prices. These cans are about the size of our standard soup can. They contain individually peeled and seeded Muscat of Alexandria grapes which are all grown in glass greenhouses. I never tasted them, but fellow viticulturists told me that they are delicious. At $22 per can I will have to take their word for it.

Safe food is of great concern to Japanese consumers.

US growers often think that Japanes customs officials make unreasonable, uneven and arbitrary demands on fruit for import into Japan.

These cans only hold about 8 ounces each. At $50 a dozen for this organic fruit juice, you can see that the consumers are really concerned about pesticide residues.

This is the workingman's fruit - Seedless Delaware. Aside from bananas imported from the Philipines, this is the most commonly available and most reasonably priced fruit. In the main season the retail price was $4.50 to $5.00/ lb. (500 grams).

An example of Japanese hospitality and use of fruit for business. I gave a lecture at the University of Tokyo and stayed in their guest house. When I entered my room I found a 1 kg (2 lb) box of Olympia grapes.

They were sent by the grape producer I was to visit the next day. They are in the box on the table.

The gift box of Olympia grapes.

This tetraploid, seeded grape has a distinctly labrusca flavor. It was developed by a private breeder Mr. Suwanaboree.

The value of the grapes was $75.

What did I bring for gifts? My most successful was 375 ml bottles of Delaware ice wine produced by the Stamp family at Lakewood Vineyards in the Finger Lakes.

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Back to Grape Pages Index

Back to Horticultural Sciences Homepage

The fruit pictured here are peaches and Japanese Pears. Note the great SALE price - $5.50 each. Fruit sold individually are usually bought for home consumption. Peeled, and sliced at the table, a single fruit will be dessert for the whole family. Note how uniform in size, color and appearance is this fruit. You will have to trust me to say that it is all fully mature in terms of Japanese preference. High sugar, low acidity, crisp textures, bright red color, very regular and large shape and lack of any external or internal blemish is required. There are no seconds; I only saw first quality fruit in the market. I later learned that only first quality fruit is produced.
In Japan it is even more unthinkable than here in the US, to visit someone without bringing a gift. Fruit is a favorite. Boxed fruit assortments such as these are frequently given as business gifts as well as among friends.
These melons are usually produced in green houses. The individual plants are staked and the developing melons individually supported so that nothing mars their appearance. I love melons, but doubt that I would ever be willing to spend more than $50 for one. These prices are not out of the ordinary. Melons produced out of season sell for more than $100. I now understand the reason for the intensive breeding program in Australia to produce such netted melons for the Japanese market. To date they have been unable to meet the Japanese preferences.
Not only fresh fruit fetches what we would consider extraordinary prices. These cans are about the size of our standard soup can. They contain individually peeled and seeded Muscat of Alexandria grapes which are all grown in glass greenhouses. I never tasted them, but fellow viticulturists told me that they are delicious. At $22 per can I will have to take their word for it.
Safe food is of great concern to Japanese consumers. US growers often think that Japanes customs officials make unreasonable, uneven and arbitrary demands on fruit for import into Japan. These cans only hold about 8 ounces each. At $50 a dozen for this organic fruit juice, you can see that the consumers are really concerned about pesticide residues.
This is the workingman's fruit - Seedless Delaware. Aside from bananas imported from the Philipines, this is the most commonly available and most reasonably priced fruit. In the main season the retail price was $4.50 to $5.00/ lb. (500 grams).
An example of Japanese hospitality and use of fruit for business. I gave a lecture at the University of Tokyo and stayed in their guest house. When I entered my room I found a 1 kg (2 lb) box of Olympia grapes. They were sent by the grape producer I was to visit the next day. They are in the box on the table.
The gift box of Olympia grapes. This tetraploid, seeded grape has a distinctly labrusca flavor. It was developed by a private breeder Mr. Suwanaboree. The value of the grapes was $75. What did I bring for gifts? My most successful was 375 ml bottles of Delaware ice wine produced by the Stamp family at Lakewood Vineyards in the Finger Lakes.