Northern mangoes cultivated using excess heat from biogas power plant
The harvesting of mangoes, grown using surplus heat from electrical generators, is in full swing in the greenhouse of the Municipal Environmental Conservation Center, a biogas plant powered by livestock manure in the town of Shikaoi in the Tokachi region of eastern Hokkaido. This year, due to the large differences in temperature during the summer, the mangoes have a high sugar content and are large in size.
The cultivation of the mangoes was proposed by the town’s Young Farmers’ Association in order to create a new specialty product, and has been undertaken since 2013. The mangoes are grown in a 350 m2 greenhouse maintained at a temperature of at least 27 degrees Celsius, in which there are 32 plants growing to a height of approximately 1.8 meters. Approximately 600 mangoes are expected to be harvested this season.
The flowers bloomed in September and the fruit began to drop into their nets in October. Mr. Furuhashi Kazuhisa, an employee in charge of cultivation, said “You can enjoy sweet and delicious mangoes with a sugar content of at least 12%.”
Harvesting will continue until mid-January.
Location
Municipal Environmental Conservation Center
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