Due to the Red Sea crisis, the latest shipment of Egyptian citrus arrived in the Chinese market in early February, which is approximately half a month later than usual. Moreover, the volume of arrivals was lower compared to previous years during the same period. Currently, the arrivals mainly consist of Egyptian sweet oranges, while sour oranges are yet to reach the market. Additionally, Egyptian grapefruits, which are in high demand, have arrived in limited quantities.
"Egyptian oranges were harvested in November of the previous year and typically begin to trickle into the Chinese market in January. However, this year, delays in shipping caused their arrival to be postponed until early February. The early arrival of Egyptian sweet oranges is speculated to be due to the prolonged shipping duration. Unfortunately, the quality of these fruits is not up to par with previous years. Furthermore, with a relatively ample supply of Chinese sweet oranges in the market, the current pricing of Egyptian sweet oranges is mixed and generally sluggish," remarked Mr. Hu Zhenjie of Guangzhou Berda Fruit Co., Ltd.
"The softer texture of Egyptian sweet oranges may not meet the preferences of some buyers. Many traders favor Egyptian sour oranges due to their wider range of sales channels; however, they have yet to appear in the market."
Discussing the impact of rising freight costs on prices, Hu noted that market prices are influenced by fruit quality and the balance between supply and demand. Despite the increased freight charges resulting from the Red Sea crisis, there has been no significant price hike.
Conversely, demand for Egyptian grapefruit has surged due to limited arrivals, leading to considerably higher prices compared to previous seasons. "As the domestic grapefruit harvest season has not yet commenced, Egyptian grapefruits are currently dominating the market. Despite the early arrivals being of slightly inferior quality compared to previous years, the prices remain high. Presently, they are selling for approximately ￥250-280 per piece, with significant fluctuations, and there's potential for further increases depending on the volume of subsequent arrivals."
Guangzhou Berda Fruit Co., Ltd. primarily imports grapefruits, oranges, lemons, grapes, and cherries from Egypt, South Africa, Chile, and other regions. Their clientele includes wholesalers, beverage outlets, fruit vendors, fresh food distributors, and e-commerce platforms.