The potato harvest season in Gansu will start in early October. The preparation work has already begun to make the warehouses ready for new stock. Manager Ren Duzhi, an organic potato trader, provided his insight into the market demand for Chinese potatoes and the various retail channels.
Potatoes from production areas in Gansu begin to enter storage in early October. The shelf-life of these potatoes starts in October and lasts until April in the subsequent year.
"Gansu production areas enjoyed abundant rainfall, which is positive for the growth of potatoes. The production volume expanded in comparison with last year. The production volume per 0.07 hectare is around 1 ton," according to manager Ren. "The current conditions in the domestic potato market are quite stable. The price does not show significant fluctuations in comparison with previous years. The most recent market price is around 4 yuan [0.56 USD] per 0.5 kg."
"There are many potato production areas in China. Each production area has unique characteristics. Take Shandong, Inner Mongolia, and Hebei for example - many production areas there produce early-season potato varieties and they harvest twice a year.
Gansu is located on the northwestern plateau, high above sea level. The potato production areas in this region mostly grow mid-season and late-season potato varieties and they harvest once a year. Furthermore, the overall production volume in Gansu is lower in comparison with other potato production areas, because of geographical and meteorological conditions.
However, the flavor of Gansu potatoes is much better and the starch content is much higher," explained manager Ren. "The growing middle class in China demands an increasing volume of high-quality, fresh agricultural products. This inspired the rise of many fresh produce e-commerce platforms. E-commerce has become our main retail channel. Facilitated by e-commerce platforms, we sell our potatoes in the wholesale markets of such first-tier cities as Beijing and Shanghai. We package our potatoes in 10 kg cardboard boxes. Wholesale traders purchase our potatoes and repackage them in smaller bags with their brand."
"Organic potatoes currently account for about 1% of the domestic potato market. Farmers who grow organic potatoes encounter many difficulties. The number of Chinese companies involved in organic potato plantation is therefore small and market competition is not intense. The consumers who purchase organic potatoes are usually people who have high standards when it comes to product quality and flavor. The organic potato market develops fast. The overall sales volume doubled every year in the last few years. Although the price of organic potatoes is higher than the price of regular potatoes, their sales volume still grows every year. Furthermore, supply is often unable to satisfy demand," stated manager Ren.
In addition to organic potatoes, Gansu Lily Plateau Ecological Industry Co., Ltd. also grows and sells fresh lilies and various summer vegetables. "Natural farming methods produce foods that taste, smell, and look better. We are very happy to see more consumers pay attention to organic vegetables. We believe that organic farming will become one of the major driving forces in the agricultural industry."
For more information:
Ren Duzhi - Manager
Gansu Lily Plateau Ecological Industry Co., Ltd.
Tel.: +86 13993168680
E-mail: 1393168680@139.com