“The local honeydew melon markets are currently running smoothly. Following apples, pears, and watermelons, honeydew melons have transformed from a seasonal fruit to a popular staple item,” according to Ms. Wang from the Korla Xiyu Huaguoshan Agricultura Growing Specialty Cooperative.
In the past, sales mainly occurred in the summer. However, with the improvement of equipment, an expansion of the growing areas, and upgrades to techniques, they can now be supplied all year round. “We have growing centers in Hainan, Shandong, and Anhui.”
“The products we are selling at the moment come from our growing center in Xinjiang. They are harvested every June and supplied through the end of September. From early October, melons produced at our center in Hainan will become available.” When talking about prices, Ms. Wang said, “Prices vary greatly with different seasons and production periods. Affected by the weather, prices of melons from Xinjiang this year have increased slightly compared with the same period last year. Generally speaking, the market is getting better."
“Dongguan sweet-scented honeydew” is the main variety handled by the Korla Xiyu Huaguoshan Agricultural Growing Speciality Cooperative. The melons are plump and even in size, with clear netting shaped patterns. They are fleshy with a fine texture and sweet and crisp taste, popular among consumers. When talking about factors that affect consumers' choices in fruit, Ms. Wang said, “The season, the origin, and the taste all have an impact on consumers' choice of fruit, but I think the taste is the decisive factor. The taste of a product is determined by many factors such as field management, water and fertilizer control, ripeness when harvesting, the convenience of transportation, and cargo transit time. ”
The taste and appearance of honeydew melons determine their consumer groups and market positioning. As Chinese consumers’ purchasing power increases, they are increasingly inclined to buy quality fruit. “High-end honeydew melons are becoming a high-end category. They are increasingly popular on the market and are more and more appreciated by consumers,” said Ms. Wang. “Quality fruit doesn’t need to worry about sales.”
The shelf life of honeydew melons is mainly determined by their variety and quality. Most of the melons sold are freshly harvested from the field with a shelf life of 7-15 days. Most are transported to major supermarkets by the usual means, while other varieties, especially soft honeydew, need to be transported via the cold chain. “Currently, we only export to Southeast Asian countries. As far as we know, no one in the industry has yet managed to export to Europe. This is mainly due to the fact that existing fresh-keeping, logistics technologies still need improvement. If they allow more than 15 days of transit, then it would be possible to export honeydew melons from China to Europe.”
More info:
Contact: Ms. Wang Qi
Company: Korla Xiyu Huaguoshan Agricultural Growing Speciality Cooperative
Shenzhen Xiyu Huaguoshan Agricultural Products Development Co., Ltd.
Tel.: (+86) 136 0269 3566
E-mail: 635929063@qq.com