The Shine Muscat grape at times suffers from a problem with flowering, an issue reported in 30 of Japan's 46 prefectures that cultivate the popular variety.
Yamanashi Prefecture, which boasts the nation's largest grape production, has already reported having the problem this year. In 2021, about 200 cases where flowering was abnormal or nonexistent were confirmed.
The problem was first reported to the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry around 2017. This flowering issue has been occurring usually from late May through June, affecting the Shine Muscat's quality and harvest volume.
