Mr.Shinichi Maeda
(Mima City／Hassaku Orange Farm)

Shidehara of Anabuki town in Mima city is located along the Anabuki River, which is said to be the clearest streams in Shikoku and is known as a production area of Hassaku orange.

The 8 farmers of the "Shidehara Hassaku Orange Productive Cooperation" certified as Eco-Farmer ship approximately 50 tons of Hassaku orange per year.

The Hassaku orange is grown by skilled farmers using reduced pesticides and organic fertilizers, and has been exported to Europe for the past six years.

This is Mr. Shinichi Maeda who is the head of the Shidehara Hassaku Orange Productive Cooperation.

Sericulture used to flourish in this area. Mr. Maeda's father started growing Hassaku orange in this area where there used to be mulberry fields.

He cultivates them by using organic fertilizer known as "Kaya" to spread on steep slopes instead of chemical fertilizers.

They are harvested by the end of December when the frost is stronger, stored to ripen, and shipped in February when they are ready to eat.

Every year in the beginning of February, a fair is held at "Riverside Shide-no-Ie" to promote the Hassaku orange of Shidehara.

"The fresh sourness and moderate sweetness of the Hassaku orange" is so popular that customers from all over the Tokushima prefecture buy them, and they are sold out immediately.