February 02, 2025 | MAFF Japan |
A high school team from Okinawa received an award in Japan’s MIDORI Strategy Challenge, hosted by MAFF Japan, for their innovative approach to revitalizing the dragon fruit industry.
Frequent natural disasters in Okinawa result in nearly 50% of dragon fruits being classified as substandard, causing their market price to drop to one-tenth of the normal rate. To address this issue, the team implemented dehydro-freezing technology, which preserves fruit quality and enables the use of substandard fruits in processed products, reducing waste and increasing economic value.
The initiative gained support from local governments and private companies, leading to higher profits for farmers and a significant reduction in fruit waste.
![Okinawan High School Wins Award for Revitalizing the Dragon Fruit Industry [Source: Japanese]](data/news/cover/1740536719808846049.jpg)