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🇹🇼 Taiwan /Economy & Trade

Japan’s distinctive fruit varieties face another wave of alleged technology theft in China

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

Analysis Named sources Ongoing story
  • Japanese white strawberry seedlings and other registered fruit varieties are reportedly being sold and cultivated illegally in China.
  • The article links the trade to high demand for Japanese-branded fruit and the profits available to growers.
  • Japan’s penalties for taking registered seedlings overseas are severe, but the article says enforcement has struggled to keep pace with rapid propagation and online sales.

Japan’s white strawberry varieties are the latest focus of an alleged illegal seedling trade in China, following the earlier spread of Shine Muscat grapes.

The article describes Japanese fruit varieties as the result of years of crossbreeding and selection by agricultural research stations and private farmers. Japan’s revised Seeds and Seedlings Law allows prison sentences of up to 10 years or fines of up to 10 million yen for individuals who illegally take registered seedlings or cuttings abroad. Companies can face fines of up to 300 million yen.

Despite those penalties, the article says Japanese fruit brands continue to be smuggled into China. It attributes the demand to strong consumer trust in Japanese products, gift-giving practices and the profits associated with rare varieties. A box of eight Aomori “Orin” apples was cited at 372 yuan on one Chinese e-commerce platform, while eight imported New Zealand apples sold for 34 yuan.

These varieties are genuine. With proper fertilizing and attention to pesticides, they can grow into very delicious fruit.

— Zhejiang dealerA dealer in Jinhua, Zhejiang, promoted Japanese strawberry and citrus seedlings.

The earlier Shine Muscat boom offers a warning. Growing areas in China expanded more than tenfold, and oversupply caused prices to collapse in 2022. Some growers and businesses have since turned to Japanese strawberry varieties. Seedlings marketed under names including “Angel’s Fruit” and “First Love’s Fragrance” reportedly remain available on the Xianyu flea-market app for prices as low as several hundred yen. A dealer in Zhejiang also advertised Japanese citrus seedlings and claimed, “These varieties are genuine. With proper fertilizing and attention to pesticides, they can grow into very delicious fruit.”

The article says overseas variety registration requires years and substantial spending in each target country. It argues that Japan’s approval procedures have not kept pace with the speed at which copied varieties can be propagated and brought to market in China.

We have a full range of varieties.

— Zhejiang dealerThe dealer responded when asked about the range of Shine Muscat and Japanese strawberry seedlings available.
About this summary

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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