Sold out! Kyoho seedless grapes 500 yuan per kilogram

Eat grapes without spitting out the seeds! The Miaoli District Agricultural Innovation Station of the Council of Agriculture has cooperated with National Chung Hsing University to successfully develop seedless technology in Zhuolan, Miaoli. The seeds were sold out when they were first put on the market this year. Miaoli Agricultural Research and Development Center said that the seedless grapes currently produced by farmers on a trial basis are sold at a price of NT$200 to NT$500 per kilogram, which is much higher than the NT$100 to NT$200 per kilogram of grapes produced using general technology. There is a chance that they may be exported to Japan in the future.

Miaoli Zhuolan's Kyoho seedless technology mainly refers to the use of "growth regulators" in relevant literature. The peak production period is from June to August every year. (Photo courtesy of the Council of Agriculture)

Liu Yuncong, associate researcher at the Miaoli District Agricultural Research Center's Improvement Section, said that many consumers find it troublesome to spit out the seeds when eating grapes, but seedless grapes can be eaten one bite after another, and eating them with the skin can also absorb nutrients that are beneficial to health, such as resveratrol and anthocyanins. Therefore, researchers have been developing commercial production technology for seedless Kyoho grapes since 2008. To date, the cultivation technology has become stable, with a seedless rate of more than 95%. The flesh is large and plump, with a single summer fruit weighing 9 to 14 grams and a sweetness of up to 18 degrees (Brix). It is initially estimated that the output value can be increased by 100%.

Currently, more than 60% of Kyoho grapes produced in Japan are seedless. The market price of two bunches of seedless grapes imported from Japan to Taiwan is about NT$1,000 to NT$1,200. In the future, local production will not only be fresher but also cheaper. After promotion, it will not only create a win-win situation for producers and consumers in the country, but also have the potential for export in the future.

The current seedless technology of Miaoli Zhuolan Kyoho is mainly based on the use of "growth regulators" in relevant literature. June to August each year is the peak production season, as grapes are rich in glucose, fructose, citric acid, malic acid, thiamine and various vitamins, among which iron and B12 are hematopoietic components. They have the effects of nourishing blood, replenishing Qi, strengthening muscles and bones, strengthening the spleen and stomach, and promoting diuresis. They can cure thirst, weak Qi and blood, palpitations, night sweats, and lung heat and cough.

Grapes are the fruit trees with the longest cultivation history in the world. The introduction of Kyoho varieties in 1961 and the advancement of production period regulation technology led to a significant increase in the cultivated area. (Photo courtesy of the Council of Agriculture)

In addition, grape skin contains resveratrol and tannic acid, which can prevent normal cells from turning into cancer cells or prevent tumor proliferation. It is beneficial to the heart and cancer prevention. Therefore, when eating grapes, it is best to eat them with the skin, or chew them up and then spit out the skin.