The harvest season of genuine Qingsen apples, imported from Japan, normally begins every year in the middle of September. Wholesale prices are quite high at around 690-760 yuan [97.97-107.91 USD] per box of 24 apples. The Qingsen apples are only available in the markets of such first-tier cities as Beijing and Shanghai where large-scale supermarkets sell the individual apples for as much as 29.9 yuan [4.25 USD].
"The Qingsen apple is a luxury item and most people do not possess the purchasing power to buy them," according to Manager Liu of Qingsen Apples. "We began to plant Qingsen apples in China several years ago to keep the price down and to allow a greater number of customers to enjoy their unique, delicious flavor
."
The Qinsen apple, which is said to "carry the Japanese lineage", is grown on branches imported from Japan and grafted onto Chinese apple trees. "The production volume of Qingsen apples grown in China is still small. This is a niche product that relies on being different to gain a foothold in the Chinese apple market. The domestic Qingsen apple is only available in first-tier cities along the coast because the overall production volume is limited. The market price is around 13 yuan [1.85 USD] per 0.5 kg. We mainly sell the Qingsen apples in gift boxes. The price of a gift box is 65 yuan [9.23 USD] per box or 120 yuan [17.04 USD] for a large box."
"Our apple production area is located in Qingdao on the Yellow Sea coast. Qingdao is more or less on the same latitude as Qingsen [Aomori] in Japan. The production area is therefore extremely well-suited for the cultivation of Qingsen apples. The Qingsen apple variety is crisp and fresh. The apple is easy to eat, pure and sweet, and lacks any trace of sourness. The Qingsen apple variety is therefore well-suited for old people and young children who do not like a sour taste," explained Manager Liu. "We do not harvest our Qingsen apples until they reach a sugar content of 15%, and the best pick of our apples during the peak of harvest season reach a sugar content of around 17%-18%."
Qingsen apples enter the market in September and the retail season continues until December. "During this period, common Gala apples have just gone out of season, while other omnipresent apple varieties such as Fuji apples have already left the market. This creates an extremely favorable market for our apples." When asked about the conditions in which to keep the apples fresh in storage, Manager Liu explained that "the storage method depends on the apple variety in question. Qingsen apples are not suited for storage. They can only be kept fresh for 2-3 months. However, this has no effect on our sales. The Qingsen apples are quite popular with consumers and they are quickly sold out." The competition in the Chinese apple market is fierce. The product variety is abundant and consumers have plenty options. The products that do not stand out do not survive. We sell online and offline. We have many loyal customers and the customers who taste Qingsen apples all return for more. However, the popularity of Qingsen apples is still not great enough. There is a limited number of retail channels and not enough people are familiar with this apple variety."
"We have an agreement with several dozen apple orchards in Qingdao. We help out local farmers with agricultural resources. We carry out strict supervision of production technology and product quality. We can trace all the apples back to the specific orchard where they were produced and we can follow every step in the production process. In this way we limit the links in the supply chain and keep the market price down."
For more information:
Liu - Manager
Qindao Qingsen Zhenpin Fresh Fruit Supply Chain
Tel.: +86 15265288075