"Xian Huang: "Lower imports due to high cost of fruit in China"

Chinese Asian pear season in full swing at Yex

At Yex, the Asian pear season is in full swing. "High season runs from August to February. We import Asian pears, of the Golden variety, directly from China for the EU market," said Xian Huang from Yex. The importer explains that German customers particularly enjoy Asian pears, but he expects this will also rise in other countries over the coming years.

The Asian pear is a round fruit in the shape of a large apple, which is why it is often referred to as the apple-pear. They have the texture and bite like an apple, but the sweetness and taste of a pear. The pear is white on the inside and has a small core. The pear also has thin golden skin. Yex delivers the Asian pears in an open top container of 7kg for the retail trade. According to the importer it is difficult to estimate volumes for the whole season, "Due to the high cost of fruit in China, there has been reduced demand from EU countries this year.

Xian said that the Asian pear can also be grown in The Netherlands, but also that this is still not often done by professional growers. "It is increasingly found in private gardens." Asian pears have a brix value of around 10-11% with juice, and that distinguishes it from the European pear. The Asian pear is not easy to plant in Europe because during harvest there needs to be a temperature above 30°C lasting for at least 30 days."

For more information:
Yex
ABC Westland 120
2685 DB Poeldijk
T: +31 174 214536
F: +31 174 214449
x.huang@yex.nl
www.yex.nl

Publication date: Wed 23 Oct 2013