(Singapore, 20 January 2022) Get ready for a treat as Saitama Prefecture is back once again with another showcase of its strawberries! The highlight is Amarin, a fully ripe and intense-tasting strawberry with a brix level of 14 plus — common strawberries have a level of 10. The heart-shaped fruit is large in size and has an attractive glossy red exterior. Its flesh is also softer than that of normal strawberries.
A limited number of Amarin will be available for sale via Singapore Home Cooks on 24 January 2022, 8pm. Other than the Amarin, the showcase will shine the spotlight on Tochiotome, which is grown using a special method, as well as Yayoihime, which is imported directly from Saitama.
A premium, rare strawberry
Amarin is licensed to grow only in Saitama Prefecture. Of the 102 hectares of strawberries cultivated in the prefecture, only 7 hectares (7%) are dedicated to the planting of Amarin. The fruit is produced by only 0.1% of the population in Japan. As such, this strawberry is a premium item that is rarely distributed even in Saitama Prefecture, and in neighbouring Tokyo it is only available at high-end fruit shops.
Located an hour’s drive outside Tokyo, Saitama Prefecture is the 13rd largest producer of strawberries in Japan. Strawberries in Saitama are produced mainly in the mountains of Chichibu area, which is one of the coolest areas in the prefecture, as well as in the town of Yoshimi. They are grown in greenhouses at a temperature of about 20oC — many farmers invest equipment to facilitate temperature control, humidity regulation, soil cultivation and light production. In addition, when the strawberries are flowering, up to 15 bees are kept in each greenhouse to encourage growth through natural pollination.
The strawberry was first brought into Singapore in 2021, marking the first time it was ever exported overseas. The Saitama prefectorial government decided to export Amarin internationally, choosing Singapore as the place to do so.
In a bid to encourage more Singaporeans to try the fruit, the government will be offering it at an attractive price. Typically, it goes at $140 per punnet in a luxury fruit store in Tokyo, but Singaporeans can get it at a special price of around $100 via Singapore Home Cooks Facebook page.