The market price of the small apple variety ``Alps Otome'' has soared approximately three times this year, according to research by the Hirosaki Keizai Shimbun editorial department.

Alps Otome is a variety that is smaller in size than regular apples and has a stronger acidity. Due to its easy-to-eat size, this variety is used to make apple candy sold at food stalls at festivals and fairs, but this year's average market price has tripled compared to last year. The soaring prices have surprised market participants.

Kaneto Kudo of the Hirosaki Chuo Fruits and Vegetables Apple Department, which handles the Hirosaki apple market, analyzes that the reason for the soaring prices is a slump in demand for apple candy due to the coronavirus pandemic. "Festivals have been canceled nationwide due to people refraining from going out and attending events. Demand for Alpine Otome has decreased, so many farmers have stopped cultivating Alps Otome due to the coronavirus pandemic," he said. Although the restraint due to the coronavirus has ended and festivals have resumed, the production volume of Alps Otome has not improved and the market price has soared.

Mr. Kudo says that this is partly due to the boom in apple candy specialty stores opening mainly in Tokyo, and the popularity of products such as ``evolutionary apple candy'' among young people. ``The varieties used in the so-called evolved apple candy are mainly Fuji, but there is strong demand for smaller apples such as Alps Otome.''

An apple farmer in his 40s who grows ``Alps Otome'' in Hirosaki said, ``I've heard that some companies come directly to buy apples.This year, I was also able to get them to buy them for me as if I had received a bonus.'' I was surprised," he said with a smile.

Some predict that the rise in prices will not continue. One market official said, ``I think more stalls will stop selling apple candy because of the soaring price of Alps Otome.I've also heard that fruit candy other than apples, such as Shine Muscat and strawberry, are popular these days.'' ``Alps Otome apples have almost no demand for anything other than apple candy. Demand in anticipation of the restart of festivals has driven up the market price, but once inquiries ease, prices will settle down.''