For Ume Growers
For Ume Growers
Harvest statistics, pests, new varieties and research from public sources in Japan, each with a link. Green ume market prices are recorded daily.
National harvest (2025 crop)
Japan grew ume on 13,100 ha (12,500 ha bearing). The harvest was 73,900 t and shipments 65,700 t (published 25 November 2025).
By prefecture, Wakayama produced 58% of the harvest, Gunma 7%, Fukui 3%, and Yamanashi and Mie 2% each: about 70% of the national total from these five.
Plum pox virus (PPV)
Emergency control under the Plant Protection Act ran from 20 February 2010 to 31 March 2021. Inspections of nursery stock continue.
MAFF states there are no reports of natural infection of stone-fruit trees through the fruit, and that the virus does not infect people, so eating the fruit has no health effect.
New self-fertile varieties: Reiwa and Wago
Two varieties bred by NARO. They have plenty of pollen and set fruit well with their own pollen, so no pollinizer tree is needed.
Fruit weighs about 38 g (Reiwa) and 34 g (Wago), as large as Shirokaga and Nanko. At the breeding site, peak harvest was 22 June (Reiwa) and 18 June (Wago). Both suit umeboshi and ume juice.
Self-fertility of main varieties
Nanko, Shirokaga and others hardly set fruit with their own pollen and need a pollinizer. See "For growers" on each variety page and the paper below.
Research institutes
The Japanese Apricot Laboratory of the Wakayama Fruit Tree Experiment Station (Minabe) specialises in ume and publishes its results.
NARO publishes a cultivation manual for the red-fleshed variety Tsuyuakane and a report on ume production, distribution, processing and breeding goals.
Handling green ume
Green ume and unripe fruit and seeds contain natural toxins (cyanogenic compounds); MAFF advises not to eat them raw.
As checked on each source page in October 2026. Please check the sources for the latest information.