Photo/Illutration Yamagata Beniou cherries grow to the size of a 500-yen coin. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

YAMAGATA--Rich pickings are to be had at cherry farms in Tendo, Yamagata Prefecture, where a single cherry of a premium brand that took more than 20 years to develop can sell for as much as 1,000 yen ($7).

That, no doubt, was what went through the minds of thieves who made off with around 5 kilograms of Yamagata Beniou, a new brand of cherry that was due to make its full-scale “debut” this year.

The haul had a market price of around 100,000 yen, police said.

Announcing the theft June 19, prefectural police said it was the first confirmed case this year involving Yamagata Beniou, which grow to the size of a 500-yen coin. The coin has a diameter of 2.65 centimeters.

But it was by no means the only theft. Earlier this month, around 4 kilograms of Sato Nishiki, a leading cherry brand, were stolen from a farm in Tendo.

In that instance, the market price of the stolen Sato Nishiki was around 12,000 yen.

“It is unforgivable that produce farmers take time and effort to create is being targeted,” said a prefectural official involved in promoting the area as a “gardening powerhouse.”

The official said farmers will be urged to take measures to prevent thefts.

The Yamagata prefectural government developed Yamagata Beniou as the brand to follow Sato Nishiki.

Yamagata Beniou were harvested for the first time last year. They have a less sour taste than conventional cherries and are also renowned for their shiny skin.

Farmers had pitched their sights of making this year’s harvest the real “debut” season for Yamagata Beniou with plans to ship around 20 tons, four times the amount last year.

Right now is the peak of the Yamagata Beniou harvest season.

According to prefectural police, the owner of the farm where 5 kg of Yamagata Beniou were stolen became aware of the theft on June 19 and reported the matter to police.

The farmer noticed that cherries in a greenhouse were missing because they were also snatched with their stems.

“This year’s Yamagata Beniou cherries had a better color and were larger ... we were so hopeful, so we are shocked,” said a family member of the 54-year-old owner.

There was nothing unusual about the state of the cherry trees the previous evening, the family member said.

But when the owner checked early on June 19, it was clear there were fewer cherries.

The owner said it appeared that that someone “had ripped the cherries from the trees.”

(This article was written by Takahiro Ogawa and Masahiro Takahashi.)

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