Gannan navel oranges produced in China were originally scheduled to be harvested on November 1. It is reported that due to local rain, growers were worried about the ripening of the fruits and postponed harvesting. The large-scale harvest was set on November 20.
"Gannan navel oranges have a good harvest this year, and the output increased by about 20%. Xinfeng Zhengda Agricultural Development Co., Ltd. is mainly engaged in the cultivation and sales of Gannan navel oranges," said Mr. Xiao Jiangbiao, from the company. "Last year, the weather was dry, so the navel oranges had thicker peels and higher sweetness. This year, due to abundant rain, the navel oranges are larger and have thinner skins, and the pulp is better, but the Brix is 1-2 lower than last year."
"In recent years, the price of navel oranges in southern Gansu has been about ￥5-6/kg. This year, the starting price in the core production areas is close to the past, while the surrounding production areas are lower. It is estimated that the subsequent prices will continue to fall." The reason is that in addition to increasing production, fruit farmers need to pick fruits as early as possible due to the possibility of frost thus affecting prices. "The navel orange growers in southern Gansu are mostly retail households. Their preventive measures against bad weather are weak, and most of them can only complete picking before the cold winter arrives."
"Reasons that affect the price also include the fact that there are always cases of people selling them under the name of "Gannan navel oranges" on the market. These navel oranges are produced in other provinces, and their off-tree price is more than double that of authentic Gannan navel oranges.”
"The planting volume and output of navel oranges in southern Gansu are large, but the lack of well-known local brands makes the industry lack an overall driving force. In addition, the quality stability of surrounding production areas also needs to be improved."
Gannan navel oranges have been exported overseas for many years, mainly to the Southeast Asian market. Talking about the export situation, Xiao said that export prices have not been high in recent years, and many companies have paid more attention to the domestic market: "China exports a lot of citrus products to Southeast Asia, and local purchasing power is limited, making it difficult to increase the export price of Gannan navel oranges, which is almost the same as the domestic sales price. In addition, navel oranges are very sweet and cannot be stored well, making exporting more difficult. Therefore, many companies prefer to operate in the domestic market."
Regarding the development of domestic sales channels, Xiao said: "In the wholesale market, other navel oranges are being sold under the name of Gannan navel oranges, so we choose to sell them online through Micronet, e-commerce platforms, and live broadcasts. In the past two years, we have found that the sales volume of the Micronet partners we cooperate with has been steadily increasing, and the prices are also relatively good. Compared with other production areas or varieties, the price of authentic Gannan navel oranges is higher, and a certain level of trust is required to purchase them. This feature may be more suitable for Micronet sales. "
Xinfeng Zhengda Agricultural Development Co., Ltd. is located in the core navel orange production area in southern Gansu. Its business includes navel orange planting, sales and processing. It has around 140 hectares of its own orchards, factories and cold storage. Brand names include "Kejia Chengyuan" and others. The company has export qualifications and has obtained GlobalG.A.P. certification.