"Chinese industry switches to controlled atmosphere storage"

"In the past few years, Chinese agriculture has developed fast. Product quality, production technology and distribution have all improved drastically. However, problems still occur with long term storage. Especially in the upcoming e-commerce, this has become a large problem. Firstly, purchasers are not in control of the first links of the supply chain. Because they do not understand the product characteristics, they cannot control product quality. Furthermore, after buying the products for a cheap price, purchasers cannot guarantee the freshness of the products when they are transported," explains states Chen Yongchun, CEO of Beijing Fruitong Science & Technology.

"With controlled atmosphere storage I refer to the newest storage method for keeping fruit and vegetables fresh, in short refrigerated storage units. The only difference is that, based on the temperature of the storage, other factors factors such as temperature, oxygen and CO2, can also be controlled. They slow the product's respiration and metabolism. As such, this helps to keep fruit and vegetables fresh, and extends their shelf life. In the past few years in China, as people become more familiar with them, they are becoming more focused on the effectiveness and use of the equipment than on the price." 

"Our company was established in December 1996. It is specialized in developing storage technology, producing equipment for controlled atmosphere storage, constructing these storage facilities, and developing customized equipment for customers. We have a large customer base, and it is still growing. From leading producers to the government, we not only benefit from the producers' demand for storage management, but also from help with policies and financial assistance by the Chinese government."

"The south of China has been developing faster than the north, especially areas such as Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan. This year, we have established a low oxygen controlled atmosphere storage in Guizhou. It will extend the shelf life of kiwis from two months to eight. Last year, we built a large scale controlled atmosphere storage for apples for the Haisheng Group. Even though we are mainly catering to kiwis and apples, we are not limited to these. We get many different demands from retailers, supermarkets and e-commerce platforms. Their costs are similar, but the requirements are often more specialized."

"Our company works together with the Chinese Science and Technology Institute, and famous international companies, such as the Dutch Storex company. We have already successfully developed many different series of specialized equipment. Through years of research and practice, we have built up so much experience that we now belong to the international top group in storage technology and equipment. Moreover, by using foreign technology, we are now in the early stages of building a ripening storage in China. We are working to transform the industry, and want to offer our customers a complete service package for picking, sorting and packaging fruit and vegetables." 

"In the industry, the biggest obstacle to further development is finance. Building and maintaining the storage and equipment requires a lot of investments. However, this is not insurmountable. For Fruitong, it is the same. When it is necessary, we will look for financing, but with our excellent reputation and achievements, this is not a very big problem. In the future, we hope that Fruitong can build a trade platform for Chinese farmers, so that our customers can find suitable partners. Simultaneously, it will give more Chinese and foreign consumers the opportunity to try different kinds of fruit and vegetables."