Fukushima Peaches

peach

Store bought peaches vs. brand named peaches mean very little to people who rarely eat the peach.  For me, summer wouldn't be complete without sinking your teeth into a juicy peach.  In this photo you can see a Fukushima-grown peach!  The juiciness and sweetness in this peach is by far the best I have ever had.



Both Fukushima  and Yamanashi Prefectures are prime peach growing regions in Japan - there are other areas, too.  However, if there had to be one prefecture that's very well known and recognized for its peaches  for decades then Fukushima is one such prefecture.   In Japan, the Japanese are blessed with fertile land and can grow just about anything.   However, Japan agriculture is mainly focused on small, high quality grown fruits and vegetables, unlike in North America where numbers are more important than quality, and this has a lot to do with NAFTA.





I have been to this prefecture over a dozen times to pick these incredibly delicious peaches.  There really is a difference between just ordinary supermarket brands and brand named peaches.   Just a few days ago I was sitting outside eating some peaches that were store bought.  I noticed that although they were juicy, they lacked taste!  I couldn't catch the sour sweetness that really high-quality peaches are known for.





Since the big earthquake in 2011 that caused widespread fears of radiation contamination, the price of  peaches from Fukushima plummeted!  Agriculture in this region suffered greatly by the fault of the media, which in turn created misunderstanding about food grown in this region.   Over a million people still live, work, and farm in Fukushima since the disaster, and no one has ever been affected by the food, air, and water.    This is a fact.





Since the time of 3-11, this region has recovered tremendously from the media backlash of misinformation.  The peaches are safe to eat and market, and have always been.   The nuclear meltdown crisis did not destroy agriculture in this region.  Some farms that were near the nuclear plant were affected by abnormal levels of radiation, but that does not mean all of the farm lands were contaminated.   Locals are still buying and purchasing food products from this region.



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