This week, the market has shifted toward Chilean sea-freighted cherries. Traders indicated that due to the limited volume of air-freighted cherries and the significant price advantage of sea freight, most have generally switched to selling sea-freighted fruit. The majority of sea-freighted arrivals are Santina cherries.
Sea-freighted cherries currently show a wide price range. For the Santina variety, a 2.5kg × 2 (two-in-one) package ranges from ¥300+ to ¥400+ per box (US$41.70+ to US$55.60+), with higher-quality shipments priced at around ¥450–470 per box (US$62.50–65.30), while some batches are selling for only ¥330–360 per box (US$45.80–50.00). For 2.5kg small boxes, 3J sizes are priced at approximately ¥220–230 per box (US$30.60–31.90), and 2J sizes at around ¥190–195 per box (US$26.40–27.10).
Chilean Sea-Freighted Cherries
Traders noted that sea-freighted cherry prices this week showed a pattern of being higher at the beginning and lower toward the end of the week. As arrivals increased, prices gradually declined in the latter half of the week. Using two-in-one packaging as an example, price differences reached approximately ¥10–40 per box (US$1.40–5.60). Some traders also mentioned that certain batches were priced lower due to less-than-ideal firmness and flavor. In addition, the arrival of large vessels in the near future is expected to significantly increase sea-freight volumes, further contributing to the price declines observed later in the week.
Left: Peruvian blueberries; Right: Australian white-fleshed nectarines
This week, arrivals of Peruvian blueberries continued to decrease, while prices continued to rise. Currently, 14mm+ blueberries are priced at approximately ¥100 per box (US$13.90), and 18mm+ sizes are around ¥120–130 per box (US$16.70–18.10), representing an increase of about 10% compared to last week. Some traders attributed the price rise mainly to reduced arrival volumes, tighter supply of certain high-quality brands, and the continued high prices of Yunnan blueberries, which are providing price support.
Different specifications of Yunnan blueberries; Left: "Eight-in-One" packaging of 24mm+ size
For Yunnan blueberries, prices for 15mm+ and 18mm+ sizes remained relatively stable. However, the premium "Eight-in-One" packaging featuring extra-large 24mm+ fruit saw a price increase of approximately 10%–15% due to supply shortages. Compared with last week, small volumes of 20mm+ and larger sizes arrived this week, but overall supply remains limited.
Left: Peruvian avocados; Right: Vietnamese Kanyao durians
Durian arrivals increased this week, but sluggish downstream sales led buyers to reduce both the frequency and volume of their purchases, resulting in price declines. For example, Vietnamese Kanyao durians (A3 size) are currently priced at approximately ¥230–250 per box (US$31.90–34.70), a sharp drop from over ¥300 per box (US$41.70) in the latter half of last week.
Arrivals of Peruvian avocados also increased, with current prices for cardboard box packaging at approximately ¥85 per box (US$11.80).
Different varieties of Chinese apples
Left: Crisp Honey kumquats; Right: Hainan Golden Diamond pineapples
As for domestically produced fruit, the market currently offers a wide range of options. In addition to large volumes of citrus fruits and apple gift boxes, strawberries, crisp honey kumquats, Yunnan custard apples, and many other varieties are available. A small quantity of Hainan Golden Diamond pineapples has also entered the market, priced at approximately ¥90–95 per box (US$12.50–13.20). Traders handling various domestic fruits reported that, despite the wide variety on offer, overall sales remain sluggish, though the purchasing atmosphere is expected to improve next month.
