Orange Chu: price adjustment after reduced production

Smaller production for better taste

Even though he is 89 years old, Mr. Chu Shijian is still much involved in the quota and data reports of every season. In about 10 days time he will also personally go to the fields and test the changing taste of the Orange Chu at that time. This year, Mr. Chu said that "the trees were tapped for a sugar-to-acid comparison and a huge amount of trees were chopped down. But, he added, "last year, 8 fruits together weighed a kilogram, this year we improved that. Now it only takes 5 oranges, and sometimes only 4. The fruits are bigger, with more fruit flesh so they are easier to eat. The oranges also have a very nice colour this year, we have basically removed all white spots."

Measures were taken after disappointing sales figures last year, the reaction of consumers to the small fruits, the rather sour taste and the seeming negligence in Orange Chu cultivation. In the summer of 2016, 37,000 trees were chopped down in the Orange Chu orchard and the spacing distance in the orchard has improved from 1.5 meters to 3 meters. This way enough sunshine and unhindered ventilation are guaranteed.

Concerning the problem of the delayed sales period of Orange Chu this year, Mr. Chu said that "the oranges still taste a little bit sour, the oranges you taste now have a sugar-acid ratio of 8.5, within a month, that ratio will increase to 10.5."

The vice chief supervisor of the Orange Chu brand, Li Yaxin, states that around mid-November, the sugar to acid ratio of the oranges will reach 11.5 to 12. 

Price adjustment

Moreover, an estimate was announced of the production volume of Chu Oranges this year. According to Mr. Li Yaxin, the production of oranges will drop from 11,000 tons last year to about 8,000 tons this year. That is a total decrease of production of more than 30%. Mr. Li also explained the influences of the change in production volume on the price at offline retail stores. The announcement had already been made for online sales channels. Looking at the sales situation online, netizens have already pre-ordered 650 tons of oranges. The offline price in retail markets still has to wait until the Chu Oranges officially go on sale. Concerning the problem of the price of the oranges, Mr. Chu answered the media with humour. "If we don't raise the price, the oranges on the market won't become more expensive. The price of the Chu oranges will be slightly adjusted this year."

Looking back at the 'Orange Chu' brand

The product name of Chu Oranges used to be 'Yunguan Oranges'. The 'Chu Orange' appellation originates from street talk in Kunming. It became so popular and widely known that officially registering 'Chu Oranges' as the product name was a major emphasis of Chu Oranges management this year. During this announcement, they stated that the name was now legally registered as the official brand name of the oranges. At the same time a new package for 2016 with 'Chu Oranges' written on it was also published.

Fight against fakes

With the new package of Chu Oranges out this year, a new measure is also to be taken to combat fakes. The new cases are equipped with a two-dimensional barcode from the management's website. A scan of the barcode can identify where the oranges were sold directly and helps to identify imposters. On both sides of the boxes, there are handles that protect against cuts. At the same time, the oranges themselves also have an extra label that protects against frauds. "If anyone wants to pass their fake oranges off as real ones, they will have to go to a large manufacturer and spend a lot of many to make a fake. If the large manufacturer dares to accept the money, we can easily trace it," says Mr. Li Yaxin. 

The orange juice project

Mr. Li Yaxin also announced that a new factory will start off this year at Yuxi, with new installations to conduct selection processing. It is estimated that 300 tons of oranges can be processed every day.

Moreover, Mr. Li explained that there are projects with further processing to increase the shelf life of the oranges by many years. At the end of the year or next year at the latest, the construction of a new installation will be started where pure orange juice can be produced without the use of concentrated juice. This means that the 10% of oranges that don't meet the high-quality standards to go on sale will be put to another good use. It will bring forth the appearance of a pure and fresh orange juice on the consumer market. 

Source of the article: www.yunnan.cn