Last week, the Qingming Festival effect spurred accelerated sales of apples. However, this week witnesses a decline in arrivals of New Zealand apples, leading to an increase in Gala apple prices. Meanwhile, Rose apple volume has been minimal lately, with the market predominantly focusing on Gala apples.
New Zealand apples
The Peruvian grape season is winding down, leaving the market dominated by Chilean and Australian grapes. Although Australian Crimson grapes experienced a shortage last week, arrivals surged significantly this week with minimal price fluctuations. Despite their past popularity, sales of Chilean red grapes have slowed down. Merchants attribute this decline to two primary factors: reduced arrivals, which have inflated prices to approximately ¥230/box from last year's ¥160/box, marking a 50% increase, and an influx of domestically produced grapes, both fresh and cold-stored, which offer a cheaper alternative. Consequently, buyers are exercising caution in grape purchases.
Left: Chilean red grapes; Right: Chilean Sweet Mary plums
Sweet Mary plums from Chile currently lead the stone fruit market. While prices have remained relatively stable over the past two weeks, they have decreased by nearly 30% compared to the same period last year. Additionally, the overall quality is inferior to previous years, resulting in slower sales. With the Chilean plum season nearing its end and minimal arrivals, prices are lower compared to previous periods. Many stone fruit vendors report unsatisfactory sales this year, likely due to diminished fruit quality caused by adverse climate conditions in the production areas.
Left: Australian Crimson grapes; Right: Chilean plums
Following satisfactory prices and sales before the Qingming Festival, Indonesian mangosteen prices have seen a recent decline from over ¥200/piece to ¥180/piece. Merchants attribute this fluctuation to earlier quality issues, notably a high proportion of fruits with translucent flesh, which temporarily drove prices down to ¥120/piece. However, as quality improved, prices and sales rebounded. Merchants note that such fluctuations are common each season, with this season experiencing particularly pronounced effects.
Dalian cherries
The supply of domestically produced blueberries continues to rise, leading to varying prices. For 15mm+ blueberries, prices range from ¥80 to ¥120/piece, contingent on variety and brand.
Small quantities of South African grapefruits have arrived, commanding relatively high prices.