Ehime: New Star of Citrus Goes on Sale after 20 Years of Development; Prefecture Hopes to Boost Spring Citrus Sales 

The Yomiuri Shimbun 

17:59 JST, March 22, 2025

MATSUYAMA — Sales of Beni Princess, a high-end citrus variety produced in Ehime Prefecture, started in full swing earlier this month. 

The drop-shaped citrus the size of a softball is characterized by its succulence and rich sweetness. 

The Ehime prefectural government spent about 20 years developing Beni Princess by crossbreeding Beni Madonna and Kanpei, which are also popular varieties originating in the prefecture. 

“It’s sweeter and juicier than Beni Madonna. It is by far the most delicious citrus I have ever tasted,” Kana Takahashi, 28, said of the new variety. Takahashi began growing Beni Princess four years ago. 

The harvest season for Beni Princess is from March to April. In Ehime Prefecture, Beni Madonna is usually distributed from sometime around November, and Kanpei becomes available from January. Previously, the prefecture had few brand-name citrus varieties available in the early spring. 

In February, the prefectural government held an event in Tokyo to introduce Beni Princess and it is confident that the sliced fruit and processed products were well received. It plans to continue strengthening promotion efforts, mainly in the Tokyo and Kansai areas. 

The prefectural government and other entities aim to produce 2,000 tons of Beni Princess by fiscal 2030. They seek to market the variety at prices equivalent to or higher than Beni Madonna, hoping to increase the income of farmers by turning the new variety into a brand.