Onion Planting Harvesting and Processing in Factory - Success Of Onion Farming In Japan

Onions are an essential part of Japanese dishes such as Japanese curry and nikujaga stew. Japanese people consume almost 1.2 million tons each year. 117 tons of onions were grown in Japan in 2014 – and 60% of them came from Hokkaido. Kitami grew and shipped 210,000 tons – 20% of all the onions produced in Japan. Kitami is Japan’s top producer of onions, and its onions are eaten all around Japan. Hokkaido’s first onions were grown in Sapporo in the mid to late 19th century. Kitami grew its first onions in 1917, and its onion industry grew in the years after World War II as its peppermint industry declined. Kitami’s cold climate is perfect for onions, and onion farms sprouted up throughout the city, resulting in Kitami’s current status as Japan’s top onion producer. In spring, you’ll see geometric shaped ridges in fields all around the city, where the onion seeds have been planted. The onions grow and grow throughout the summer, then when the autumn harvest season arrives, you’ll see big containers under blue or orange tents in the fields. The seasonal views of Kitami’s onion farms from National Highway Route 39 are some of the most iconic landscapes in Hokkaido. Why Kitami is the top Kitami has little rainfall and a large variation in temperatures between the seasons and even within one day. This produces firm onions whose sweetness increases with cooking. In addition to its ideal climate, Kitami became Japan’s top producer of onions through clever planting techniques. Kitami onion farmers stagger their seed planting so that onions can be shipped continuously from August to April. Seeds are planted in snowy, cold February and grown in vinyl greenhouses before the seedlings are planted in the fields in April. Various forms of care take place during each season, from weeding and root cutting to harvesting and drying. This loving care from the farmers, along with advances in farming technology and improvements in onion species, has made Kitami the top producer of onions in all of Japan. Kitami onions are enjoyed in households all over Japan. A new brand of Kitami onions Pure white onions? These pretty white onions are only 1/3 as strong in flavor as ordinary onions, giving them a rare sweetness. These new onions can be eaten as they are, giving you extra nutrients that would otherwise be washed away by water.