Fukuoka Prefecture is investigating whether seedlings of its well-known Amaou strawberry variety have been distributed outside the prefecture after plants with the same cultivar name appeared for sale on a Kansai-based company’s website. Amaou, developed in Fukuoka, had been protected by a 20-year plant breeder’s right that granted the prefecture exclusive production until January 2025. Although the trademark “Amaou” remains registered by JA Zen-Noh—meaning strawberries grown elsewhere cannot be sold under that name—there are currently no legal restrictions preventing seedlings from being transported or sold outside the prefecture. The prefectural government and JA have limited seedling supply to local farmers and issued written warnings against exporting them. Officials warn that cultivation outside Fukuoka, even under different names, could weaken the prefecture’s long-established brand advantage. Source: The Japan Agricultural News / NHK News
Photo: Fukuoka Now (For image purposes only)
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