Snow damage to apple orchards in Aomori, Japan, threatens harvest
Record snowfall in January has severely damaged apple orchards in Aomori, northeast Japan, the country's largest apple-producing region, with authorities fearing losses could exceed 10 billion yen (US$64.8 million).
Among many areas that saw above-average snowfall in January, the city of Hirosaki reported a record 126cm (49.6-inch) accumulation, according to a local observatory.
The weight of snow has badly damaged apple trees grown in the city and 10 other municipalities. With more snow expected this month, concerns have been raised about the impact on this year's autumn harvest in the prefecture, which produces about 60 per cent of Japan's apples.
Yoshimoto Kudo, 85, who cultivates around 150 trees in his 4,000 square metre (1 acre) orchard, said many branches were broken, and the trunks of some trees 50 to 60 years old even snapped. People brush snow off tree branches to prevent them from breaking in the central Japanese city of Toyama in February 2025. Photo: Kyodo Japan's Aomori prefecture is a major producer of apples.
Kudo has been working to reduce damage by spreading snow-melting agents and reinforcing branches, but uncleared farm roads have left three of his five orchards inaccessible.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
14-04-2025
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong boosts flood response with new robot deployments
Four new robots will be deployed to severely flooded areas in Hong Kong as a measure to cope with inclement weather. Advertisement The Drainage Services Department said on Monday that it had invested about HK$3 million (US$386,844) to purchase the four pumping robots with an aim to expedite their work in managing severe flooding incidents. Ringo Mok Wing-cheong, the director of drainage services, said that the most expensive robot acquired this year cost around HK$1 million, given its ability to operate for eight consecutive hours and pump 800 cubic metres of water per hour. Taking into account the other three robots, which have pumping capacities of 500 or 700 cubic metres per hour, the combined drainage capacity of all four machines is 2,500 cubic metres, equivalent to the volume of an Olympic-sized swimming pool. 'Given the huge impact of extreme weather on Hong Kong, there is a need to acquire strong pumping robots,' he said. Advertisement 'When the water level reaches a certain level … we will take action and consider whether to deploy the robots.'
South China Morning Post
11-04-2025
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong to test flood scheme at 5 road sections hit by 2023 rainstorm chaos
Authorities will carry out real-time flood monitoring of five low-lying road sections hit by record-breaking rainfall in Hong Kong two years ago and temporarily close them if water levels reach 0.3 metres in the coming rainy season. Advertisement The government on Friday announced a HK$700,000 (US$89,745) pilot scheme to place warning signs, paint wading lines and install flood monitoring devices at low-lying sections of Chai Wan Road on Hong Kong Island, Lung Cheung Road, Tsui Ping Road and Chatham Road North in Kowloon, and Nam Wan Road in Tai Po. Under the plan, when the water level reaches the warning level – 0.1 metres from the lowest point of the road – the monitoring device will alert the relevant departments, which will send workers to inspect and clear drains. Generally, they will arrive within 15 to 30 minutes. When the water reaches the wading line, which will be painted in red to indicate a depth of 0.3 metres, authorities will close off the road section to prevent vehicles from entering the area. A 'once-in-500-years' rainstorm battered Hong Kong in September 2023. Photo: Dickson Lee A government spokesman said the threshold was set at 0.3 metres as car exhaust pipes and electric vehicle batteries were located at around that level. Advertisement 'If vehicles drive into water with a depth of 0.3 metres, there is a high possibility of damage. If the vehicle stalls and the water continues to rise under heavy rain, it will be worrying,' he said.
South China Morning Post
13-02-2025
- South China Morning Post
Snow damage to apple orchards in Aomori, Japan, threatens harvest
Record snowfall in January has severely damaged apple orchards in Aomori, northeast Japan, the country's largest apple-producing region, with authorities fearing losses could exceed 10 billion yen (US$64.8 million). Among many areas that saw above-average snowfall in January, the city of Hirosaki reported a record 126cm (49.6-inch) accumulation, according to a local observatory. The weight of snow has badly damaged apple trees grown in the city and 10 other municipalities. With more snow expected this month, concerns have been raised about the impact on this year's autumn harvest in the prefecture, which produces about 60 per cent of Japan's apples. Yoshimoto Kudo, 85, who cultivates around 150 trees in his 4,000 square metre (1 acre) orchard, said many branches were broken, and the trunks of some trees 50 to 60 years old even snapped. People brush snow off tree branches to prevent them from breaking in the central Japanese city of Toyama in February 2025. Photo: Kyodo Japan's Aomori prefecture is a major producer of apples. Kudo has been working to reduce damage by spreading snow-melting agents and reinforcing branches, but uncleared farm roads have left three of his five orchards inaccessible.
