Project to Protect the Future of Japanese Mandarin Farms in Ehime|ANA

July 22, 2022

We would like to introduce the "Project to Protect the Future of Japanese Mandarin Farms in Ehime" that ANA Akindo Matsuyama Branch of the ANA Group is working on together with the local community.

"Project to Protect the Future of Japanese Mandarin Farms in Ehime"

Ehime Prefecture and ANA Akindo Co., Ltd. (hereinafter ANA Akindo) concluded a partnership agreement in April 2021 to support the development of primary industries and revitalize local communities. In response to the increasing number of abandoned Japanese mandarin orchards in Ehime due to the shrinking, aging, and lack of successors in the primary industry, ANA Akindo launched the "Project to Protect the Future of Japanese Mandarin Farms in Ehime" to leave delicious mandarins to future children.

It is said that there are three main reasons why Ehime's mandarins are so delicious.

From the dazzling sun
- It is said that there are three suns in Ehime Prefecture. One is the sun shining in the southern sky, the second is the sun reflecting off the sea, and the third is the sun reflecting off the stone wall built on the slope. Blessed with these "three suns," the mandarins of Ehime grows sweet and fresh.
Land blessed with a warm climate in the Seto Inland Sea
- In Ehime Prefecture, the annual average temperature is more than 15 degrees Celsius, the minimum temperature in winter is less than minus 5 degrees Celsius, and there are many hours of sunshine from August to October. These are the weather conditions necessary for the growth of mandarins. In addition, it is possible to harvest delicious mandarins with high nutritional value by getting plenty of sea breeze and producing good soil with minerals.
Landscape of terraced mandarin fields
- Due to the steep slope, the sun shines at any angle, and sweet and delicious mandarins are grown. The water drains well even if it rains because it is gradual. Draining water is important for mandarins, and fields with poor drainage create watery mandarin oranges. Once the rain falls, it soaks into the soil and drains the moisture out through the gaps in the stone walls, thereby maintaining an appropriate level of moisture and producing delicious mandarins with high sugar content.
I mentioned the reasons for producing delicious mandarin oranges in Ehime, but mandarin orange farmers in Ehime have some problems. Lack of market development, low recognition, and an increase in abandoned farmland due to an aging population and lack of successors. The terraced fields listed in "No. 3" of "Why Ehime prefecture produces delicious Japanese mandarin oranges" are very difficult because they require work on steep slopes.

About the Full-fledged Project

Original blend juice of Iyokan and Shiranui mandarin from Ishimaru Farm, launched on July 1, 2022.

More specifically, the project began with the registration of the "Owner System for a Whole Iyokan (mandarins) Tree" of Ishimaru Farm in Matsuyama City as an ANA Hometown Tax Program Returns gift from September 16, 2021. Subsequently, desserts made from Ishimaru Farm's iyokan were offered as ANA Premium Class in-flight meals on domestic flights (from December 1, 2021 to February 28, 2022). On March 20 and April 17 in 2022, the project members improved abandoned farmland in Ehime Prefecture, planted Japanese mandarin orange saplings, and conducted activities to recycle abandoned farmland. On July 1, 2022, the Ehime Tourist Products Association began selling Iyokan and Shiranui mandarin blended juices, selected by ANA cabin attendants from among three original blend juices produced experimentally by Ishimaru Farm. In the future, we plan to start selling them in hotels in the city and online shops at Ishimaru Farm.

Ishimaru Farm's online shop　https://iyokan-mirai.stores.jp/

A day in the life of a project member～Ms. Kurokawa, the person in charge at ANA Akindo Matsuyama Branch

Ms. Kurokawa of ANA Akindo Matsuyama Branch harvesting mandarin

(Profile)

August 2016
Joined ANA as a cabin attendant
Served on Domestic and International flights

September 2021
Seconded to ANA Akindo and was assigned to Matsuyama Branch located in Ehime prefecture (current position)
With fewer opportunities for cabin attendant due to COVID-19, she was even more eager to contribute to society through her work. At that time, she applied for internal recruitment related to Ehime Prefecture, where she spent her junior high school years.

(Daily Routine)

9:00～12:00
Work directly at Ishimaru Farm with Chairperson Ishimaru
Water about 200 mandarin trees, including Iyokan trees that she planted in March and April

12:00～13:00
Lunch

13:00～18:00
Return to Matsuyama City Branch office
Respond to various inquiries such as feedback on the project and requests for tie-ups
Plan future projects

18:00
End of work

(Thoughts on the project)

In my work as a cabin attendant, I was able to read the reactions and facial expressions of the passengers in front of me, but in this project, I felt uneasy because I could not see how customers were feeling. However, we were able to feel the positive response of our efforts by receiving concrete comments from participants in the April tree-planting activities, which provided us with a good opportunity to learn about the current status of mandarin orange plantations, and that participating in the tree-planting activities was a valuable experience.

(Attractiveness of jobs in Ehime Prefecture)

It is very different from my previous work as a cabin attendant, and I enjoy building relationships with local people as I go through the days.
I think Ehime prefecture is a very attractive area with rich nature and friendly people. We will continue to use ANA’s platform to communicate the charms of Ehime Prefecture, and we will continue to consider activities and developments that will encourage people in other regions to "want to go to Ehime."

ANA Group and Ehime prefecture will continue to work together to contribute to regional revitalization.