The Chinese fruit market is always crowded around Tomb-Sweeping Day [5 April, 2022]. This is the first peak of the sales season following the Chinese Spring Festival [1 February, 2022]. Looking back on week 14, the number of market visitors slightly declined compared to the days leading up to Tomb-Sweeping Day. However, the Shanghai Fruit Wholesale Market temporarily closed to prevent further Covid-19 outbreaks, and some of the visiting traders went to Guangzhou Jiangnan Market instead. That was another stimulus for the number of market visitors in Guangzhou.
There is a wide variety of fruit for sale in Guangzhou Fruit Wholesale Market. The overall supply volume is rather large. The most popular fruits at the moment are grapes and plums.
Most of the import grapes are green or red, the supply volume of black grapes is very small. The most common varieties include Sweet Globes, Autumn Crisp, Red Globes, and Crimson. Many of the grapes come from production areas in Chile, but there are also red grapes from Australia, as well as Sweet Globes and green grapes from Peru. Traders are quite pleased with the market conditions in the last few days. (Right: Australian red grapes)
The market is also full of plums. There are European plums and several Asian plum varieties. One plum trader sold Chilean Candy Red plums, Chicken Heart plums, Crisp plums, and Sun plums. Chilean Candy Red plums sold for 200-300 yuan [31.42-47.13 USD] per box, but this year the price is around 150-160 [23.57-25.14 USD] per box. That is a huge price difference compared to other plum varieties. Another plum trader mentioned that the sales conditions are barely passable this year. And yet another trader added that among the Sugar plums, Pink plums, and Olive plums, the latter sold best. This variety has a small supply volume. The price for a 9kg box is around 360 yuan [56.56 USD].
Chilean Olive plums (left) and Australian Queen Garnet plums (right)
In addition to Chilean stone fruit, there is also Australian stone fruit. One trader of Australian Queen Garnet plums explained that the product quality and flavor of that variety are excellent. Earlier in the season the price was around 200 yuan [31.42 USD] per box, but now the price is around 160 yuan [25.14 USD] per box.
New Zealand Gala apples
As for import apples, their season has only just begun. Traders primarily sell New Zealand Gala apples, Red Rose apples, and Chilean Gala apples. One trader explained that the supply volume of New Zealand Red Rose apples is quite small, but growing bigger every day. The production volume of New Zealand apples is bigger than the production volume of Chilean apples, and their variety is richer too. But ultimately the price is determined by the product quality of the apples that arrive in Chinese ports. (Right: Chilean Gala apples)
The import market for oranges is still dominated by Egyptian oranges. One traded said that this is the peak period of the Egyptian orange sales season, but the supply volume is somewhat limited due to the ongoing pandemic.
Egyptian oranges
However, this is also the season of domestic oranges. Their prices are reasonable and the product quality is not bad. That has an impact on the market conditions of Egyptian oranges. Their price ranges between 80-90 yuan [12.57-14.14 USD] per box and 120-130 yuan [18.85-20.42 USD] per box, depending on their quality grade.