According to Mr Rong Nie, director of Chongqing Jinguoyuan Trading, which has been importing apples from Poland since November 2016 after the signing of a contract with the Polish company Appolonia, the fruit is achieving positive results, although we cannot really talk about a success yet. "Polish apples face challenges in the Chinese market, which has different demands compared to the European market when it comes to aspects such as taste and appearance," he said.
In June 2016, Poland was granted permission to export apples to China. According to GUS data, the first deliveries of Polish apples took place in November 2016 and by May 2017 reached a total of 1,057 tonnes worth 798,000 Euro.
Chongqing Jinguoyuan Trading is a 35-year-old company specialised in fruit imports. They import fruits from all major markets in the world, such as Thai longan (they have 30% market share in China) or cherries from Chile. They also deal with the distribution of kiwis from New Zealand.
Mr Rong Nie explained that apples from Poland usually have a sour taste, while Chinese consumers prefer apples that are sweeter. Also, the apples have a nice, natural colour and shine, but in the course of long transport, lasting 30 to 40 days, they lose their attractive appearance. Chinese consumers attach great importance to the product's appearance, so the apples with slight or severe damage rarely land in the shopping carts.
The issues raised by Mr Rong Nie could be resolved by the joint efforts of both sides: Chinese and Polish. On the one hand, importers should devote more time and resources to promoting Polish apples and their advantages, such as the natural methods of cultivation and quality, so that more people start accepting sourer apples over time. At the same time, if Polish producers want to increase exports and gain a good share of the Chinese market, they must aim to meet the basic expectations of Chinese apple consumers.
Source: portalspozywczy.pl
