Overview
- Selection began on November 13 at JA Ehime Chuo’s Horie facility in Matsuyama, where machines test sweetness and staff visually inspect appearance to assign grades.
- JA Ehime Chuo expects about 2,417 tonnes to ship through early January 2026, with distribution focused on local Ehime markets and the Kanto region.
- The 2025 crop was cultivated on 319 hectares across the prefecture, including roughly 150 hectares within JA Ehime Chuo’s jurisdiction.
- Only fruit from the prefecture‑developed cultivar Ehime No. 28 that meets at least 10.5° Brix and under 1.2% acidity is sold as Benimadonna, with grading such as Akashu and Seishu.
- An early end to the rainy season and sustained high temperatures slowed coloring this year, yet JA reports overall quality remains comparable to typical seasons.