There have been several incidents in recent years with apples and pears that were unmarketable. Three main reasons for this development are explained below:
First, the Chinese fruit market has long struggled with brand-less products. Many companies are situated in a natural environment, without large-scale production or industrial standards. These conditions are not sufficient for modern traders.
Unmarketable fruit
Second, the fruit production industry is scattered. Small-scale family farms produce for a large-scale consumer market. This contradiction becomes more obvious and severe in the fast-developing commercial environment in China.
Third, farmers follow trends when they decide what to grow. When the price of a product goes up, many farmers will start to grow the product, which leads to excessive supply in subsequent years. They do not investigate the market, and they do not have the experience to grow high-quality products. The lack of relevant technology further influences the product quality. This leads to a situation where supply exceeds demand, and product quality is not stable. Under these circumstances it is not surprising that some fruit becomes unmarketable.
Source: iFreshFair