The Fukushima prefectural government has developed a new variety of strawberry for the first time in some 20 years and named its new creation Yuyake Berry. The strawberries will hit the market in late December.

　福島県が約20年ぶりに開発したイチゴのオリジナル品種の名称が「ゆうやけベリー」に決まった。１２月下旬に販売を始める。

　It took the local government 10 years to develop the Yuyake Berry by crossing the Tochiotome and Kaorino varieties.
　The Yuyake Berry plants bear fruit that often grows to the size of a ¥500 coin or larger while also possessing a mild sourness and a strong aroma. Since the variety can be harvested earlier than other kinds of strawberries, it is expected to command high prices during the Christmas season and the year-end and New Year's holidays.

　ゆうやけベリーは「とちおとめ」と「かおり野」を交配し、県が１０年をかけて開発した。５００円玉サイズ以上の大粒で、酸味は控えめで香りが強い。収穫開始時期が早いため、クリスマスや年末年始に高価格帯での販売が期待できる。

　The name was chosen from more than 17,000 entries because the word yuyake, meaning "sunset," connotes the orange color that is one of the variety's distinctive features.
　The logo, designed based on advice from experts such as Michihiko Yanai, a creative director hailing from Koriyama in the prefecture, was created with a wish to "bring happiness to people's mouths, like a sunset reddening the sky, and make them feel hopeful about tomorrow."

　１万７０００点余りの応募の中から選ばれた名前は、このイチゴの特徴であるだいだい色を感じさせる表現が決め手となった。郡山市出身のクリエイティブディレクター箭内道彦さんらの助言を生かして作成したロゴには、「空を真っ赤に染める夕焼けのように口いっぱいに幸せが広がり、あすへの希望を感じてほしい」との思いを込めた。

　This fiscal year, 14 farmers are growing the variety on a total of 0.6 hectares of land. The total haul is expected to be a modest 18 tons, so the strawberries will be sold only within Fukushima Prefecture. The prefectural government plans to expand the production area for the variety from the next fiscal year, and by fiscal 2025 it hopes to increase the planting area to over 10 hectares.

　本年度は１４戸が計約０.６ヘクタールで栽培。収穫見通しが１８トンと少ないため、県内だけで販売する。来年度以降は栽培地域を拡大し、２０２５年度までに作付面積を１０ヘクタール以上に拡大させる考えだ。

　"We would like to launch full-scale sales of the strawberries at home and abroad from the next fiscal year as a high-priced, original brand strawberry, just as with our prefecture's premium brand rice, 'Fuku, Warai,'" said Gov. Masao Uchibori.

（　Translated by The Japan News　）

　内堀雅雄知事は「県のトップブランド米『福、笑い』と同様、高価格帯を狙うオリジナルブランドとして、来年度以降は国内で本格的に販売していきたい」と話している。

　【　２０２２年９月２１日付・福島民友新聞掲載　】