Hirosaki Cider Factory "kimori" (Shimizu, Hirosaki, TEL 0172-88-8936) decided to operate its own farmland for the first time on March 23.

This workshop is run by "Hyamendo Honpo", which consists of Hirosaki apple farmers. Manufactures and sells apple cider "Cider". The president, Satoshi Takahashi, started it in 2014 because he wanted to improve the current situation of apple farmers such as aging and lack of successors.

According to the “Agricultural and Forestry Census Survey Report on Agricultural Management Entities” compiled by Hirosaki City in 2015, the number of key agricultural workers in the city has decreased by approximately 2,300 compared to 2005, and the average age has increased by 3.1 years. The number of farm households with a successor of agriculture living together has decreased by about 1500 in 10 years, and the abandoned cultivated land area is 834 hectares (about 177 Tokyo Domes).

The farmland acquired by the company is 2.1 hectares. “I receive inquiries from us about wanting to work as an apple farmer, but it is difficult to become an apple farmer because of the current high hurdles to acquire farmland and knowledge of technology. Mr. Takahashi shows his willingness to serve as a saucer.

"In the future, we not only want to train successors, but also to use it as a venue for experimenting with new technologies and as an event venue utilizing the farmland."