Carnation, Carnation, Carnation....
Mother's Day 4 days away, the carnation farmers across the nation are busy shipping the symbolic flower out for the occasion.
One of them Yusaku Kogure in Shibukawa, Guma, has an agriculture house raising 20 thousand of 15 different kinds of carnation and right now his whole family is busy getting the pots ready for shipment in good time for Mother's day.
His carnations come in red, yellow, pink, white and graduation and are wrapped up 20% short of full bloom for shipment within Gunma and also to Tokyo, Saitama, and nearby prefectures. Kogure comments:
"It's gratifying to know that our flowers go out there and thank all mothers - words of thanks embedded in them"
Whereas in northeast Japan, Natori, Miyagi is another carnation land where the farmers have had a hard time recovering their production facilities damaged by the great earthquake.
Shinya Ota, 38, has a 2650-acre greenhouse to grow 45 thousand carnations. He is right now shipping maximum 7000 a week for the day. His fellow farmers are joining him to put up a special booth in a nearby mall to sell carnation in over 40 different colors.
Down south in Nishio City, the local JA (Japan Agricultural Cooperatives) is in full swing preparing for Mother's Day. Nishio City is the top carnation production site in Japan growing some 2280 per annum. They get approximately 2.5 million ready for shipment within a week's time from late April through early May - a quarter of the annual production or roughly 200 thousand a day.
Higher temperatures in last autumn sped up growth to affect the winter shipment. The total peak time shipment this year season is likely to fall somewhat. But, insect damages are less to level up the quality of this year's flower. (Nathan Shiga)
Source: Kahoku Shimpo
