China: Raspberries become a bakery favorite

"Raspberries are an uncommon fruit. The global raspberry output is limited, and this is also the case in China. This is mainly because of the high requirements concerning location and environment are to be met before raspberries can be cultivated. There are many different varieties of raspberry but, it has been discovered, that the Heritage is the most suitable for producing large volumes in Chinese conditions. Heritage raspberries are a two-seasonal fruit," explains mister Su Lin from the Agricultural Cooperative for Magnaminous Fruits and Vegetables in Shanghai. 

"Our greenhouse operations are located in Shanghai's Qingpu region and cover approximately 0.67 hectares. Currently our tests to grow new plant breeds are still in their initial phase, but we already grow Heritage raspberries. These raspberries can be cultivated during two seasons. The summer fruits in the region around Shanghai are ripe by June every year, autumn fruits have finished ripening around the middle of September or even mid-winter. Because the area available for raspberry cultivation in China is limited and stable, I suspect that this year's output and market prices will be similar to those of last year."

Raspberries growing in a greenhouse

"In China, the largest volumes are grown in Yunnan province, Southern China and Northeastern China. Shanghai is not an ideal location to cultivate raspberries due to its latitude and height above sea level. This is the main reason why have failed to grow crops on a trial basis for the past three years. This year, we have significantly adapted our greenhouses, so we hope to get better results."

"Raspberries in the province of Yunnan are mainly produced to be frozen or to be made into fruit juice. Our raspberries, however, are sold through traditional channels (50%) and online platforms (50%). We mainly sell to supermarkets and wholesale markets in the region of the Yangtze river delta. Nowadays, the biggest demand comes from bakeries and patisseries. In the future, we will try to supply goods for 6 months every year."

"In comparison to Western countries, the Chinese raspberry industry is still in its infancy, but our market prospects seem favorable. Because of the stable weather conditions, the output of raspberries will not be affected too much; fruits will still be sufficiently hard, the quality after freezing will be great and the raspberries can be picked easily. Chinese consumers are growing increasingly fond of raspberries, which was not the case five years ago."

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