In recent years, China has granted permission to a growing number of countries for direct export to the Chinese market. As a result, the Chinese import volume of oranges grows year by year. The oranges available in the Chinese market has also become more varied every year. Manager Zhong Hui of GoGo Qingdao Limited Shanghai shared his insights into the sales conditions of imported oranges as well as the current conditions of the Chinese orange market.
GoGo Qingdao Limited Shanghai imports oranges from various countries to satisfy the Chinese market demand for imported oranges throughout the year. The company imports oranges from the US (from December until June in the subsequent year), Egypt (from January until June), Spain (from January until July), South Africa (from June until November), Australia (from June until November), and Israel (from April until June). In this way the company guarantees year-round supply of imported oranges.
"The main orange varieties that we import are Navels (late-season varieties), and sour oranges (Valencia). The sugar content in Navel oranges is relatively high and the flavor is good. The Navel oranges are therefore more popular with Chinese consumers. However, the sour orange varieties are imported in larger volumes as juice-oranges," explained manager Zhong.
"We imported around 300 shipping containers with several orange varieties this year. This is more or less the same as last year. As for the product quality, the oranges from the US, South Africa, and Israel show a stable product quality. The product quality of Egyptian oranges improved in comparison with last year, but the product quality dropped towards the end of the season. The retail conditions for Egyptian and Israeli oranges are quite good this year. In addition to a growth of import volume, the custom tariffs on US oranges increased and the prices of Spanish and South African oranges were already high. Furthermore, the product quality of Australian oranges is less than ideal. The import volumes of US, South African, and Australian oranges declined because of these reasons. We are currently at the height of the season for Australian and South African oranges. The wholesale price of Australian oranges is around 280-350 yuan [39.51-49.39 USD] per box (18 kg), while the wholesale price of South African oranges is around 190 yuan [26.81 USD] per box (15 kg). The Navel oranges from Ganzhou will arrive on the market in early November. This is expected to deliver a blow to orange imports. At that time, the price of imported oranges is likely to drop."
"Our retail channels include wholesale markets in first- and second-tier cities throughout China, as well as Yonghui supermarkets, Pagoda, and Fruit Day. Our oranges are also available on major e-commerce platforms." When asked about the potential competition in the orange import market, manager Zhong stated, "I think that competition will intensify in the Chinese fruit industry. Wholesale buyers will start to pay more attention to the brands of importers who guarantee a good price-quality ratio. We hope to enrich the taste experience of many consumers with the top-quality oranges imported by our company."
In addition to oranges, GoGo Qingdao Limited Shanghai also imports and distributes S&W pineapples from the Philippines. The company is a major agent for S&W pineapples in China.
For more information:
Zhong Hui - Manager
GoGo Qingdao Limited Shanghai
Tel.: +86 18521551556