Former black market tycoon Hiroyuki Nakagawa has transformed the frigid landscape of Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost island, into a paradise for growing the world’s most valuable mangoes. Nakagawa uses his greenhouse, which reaches temperatures of 36°C, to grow the delicacies during the Japanese winter.
Located in Otofuke, the greenhouse is a major producer of fruit, and is responsible for growing these exceptional mangoes. The genius of this result is due to the production process.
Hiroyuki uses snow stored in winter to cool the greenhouse during the summer, delaying the flowering of the mango trees. When winter arrives, the greenhouse is heated by hot springs, allowing the harvest of about 5,000 mangoes outside the normal season.
Due to the temperature, the harvest does not require the use of pesticides, due to the absence of insects during the winter. In addition, the winter harvest provides more available labor, contributing to a more sustainable process and collaborating with the local economy.
According to Nakagawa, the flavor of the mangoes, known as “snow mangoes,” is sweet like honey, with a creamy texture and a higher sugar content than that of regular mangoes.
Nakagawa’s manga conquers the market
The mangoes fetch an impressive price of $230 each. In 2014, one of the fruits was sold in a department store in Tokyo. The sale price reached $400, around R$2,000.
Its exceptional flavor, the lack of use of pesticides and its leaves, which attract the attention of tea companies, mean that the demand for the fruit grows every year.
The farmer doesn’t plan to stop there. There are already plans to grow other tropical fruits in Hokkaido, such as peaches. His goal is to boost the local economy and transform the region into a winter fruit hub.
