Opinions and Responses

About Pears of Inagi

I grew up in Inagi, but in recent years, it has become difficult to purchase Inagi pears. Two years ago, after being broadcast twice on TV, I heard from farmers that more people have been coming by car to buy them, and the number of delivery destinations for gifts has increased from acquaintances to acquaintances. It has also become difficult to get a delivery slot without a reservation. Priority is given to acquaintances, and even locals cannot buy them despite lining up. The climate continues to be harsh, and because farmland has been sold, there are times when there is nothing to sell, so I think the farmers are facing great difficulties. In the hot environment, with issues such as successors and crop failure guarantees, what kind of measures are being taken to preserve Inagi pears as a specialty product in the future? Regarding labor, there are efforts to secure human resources in collaboration with silver human resources and city subsidies, as well as subsidies for crop failures. As for sales methods, some pears are sold through agricultural cooperatives in other cities or placed in stores in other cities, but locally, people have to line up every day to buy them. Even then, they cannot get them. I would like the city to work with the local agricultural cooperative to create a route that makes it easier for local people to purchase, such as by implementing a lottery system at the local cooperative. There are locals who buy damaged pears for home use, so I think organizing sales routes systematically would help farmers even a little. This year, growth has been delayed, and farmers are struggling. I sincerely hope the city will protect Inagi pears in the future. I also think it is important to seek citizens' collaboration to protect Inagi pears.

Response

Regarding the review of pear sales methods and routes, these decisions are made by the pear-producing farmers who are the main operators of agricultural management. Please understand that the city is not in a position to lead this process.
Next, regarding the sales at other agricultural cooperatives mentioned in your opinions, we have heard that groups of producing farmers voluntarily promote Inagi pears at agricultural cooperatives in other cities, limiting the period and location.
In addition, regarding support for pear-producing farmers, pear producers in Inagi City as well as other agricultural producers work daily to improve cultivation techniques and productivity in order to deliver safe, reliable, and delicious agricultural products to consumers. Therefore, the city actively supports producers through subsidy programs for promoting specialty agricultural products, initiatives to reduce regional environmental impact, and the introduction of machinery and equipment that lead to improved productivity and labor savings.
Furthermore, as an initiative for citizen participation, we continuously implement a volunteer training program specialized in fruit tree cultivation to support farmers.
Please note that since pears are sold only seasonally, there may be cases where supply cannot meet demand. Therefore, when purchasing Inagi pears in the future, we recommend contacting pear producers early.

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