"The global production volume of kiwi fruit doubled in size in the last five years because the surface area devoted to kiwi fruit plantation worldwide continuously grows. Competition in the kiwi fruit industry has consequently intensified and the price continues to fall." This is according to Mr. Qi Zhe, the Sales Director at Shaanxi Qifeng Fruit Co., Ltd., and Mr. Lu Wenbo, an import and export manager. They recently shared their views on plantation and export conditions in the Chinese kiwi fruit industry.
"The quality level of kiwi fruit plantation in Chinese production areas continues to improve. The product quality gets better and better every year, which results in a larger percentage of commercially viable fruit in every harvest," explained manager Lu.
"The exchange rate was quite stable in 2019 and there were no significant fluctuations in the export price of kiwi fruit. The company currently exports 6 different kiwi fruit varieties. There are 3 green kiwi fruit varieties: Cuixiang, Xuxiang, and Hayward. There is 1 yellow kiwi fruit variety, and there are 2 red-heart kiwi fruit varieties. The Hayward variety is the most commonly seen kiwi fruit variety in the market. Many countries across the globe produce this particular variety. We currently focus all our attention on the promotion of our Cuixiang and Xuxiang kiwi fruit varieties."
"These two varieties are unique to China. They are sweet and carefully selected in a competitive selection process that guarantees a delicious flavor in all our kiwi fruit. Our kiwi fruit is strong competitive product. Overseas customers pay much attention to the sugar content of kiwi fruit as well as their shelf life. The Cuixiang and Xuxiang kiwi fruit varieties have a sugar content of 16%-17%, which is higher than the 13%-14% of Hayward kiwi fruit. The balance between sweet and sour flavors is also better. The Cuixiang and Xuxiang kiwi fruit varieties are rich in minerals, and the shelf life of the Xuxiang variety is almost a month longer than the shelf life of Hayward kiwi fruit."
Sales Director Qi further explained: "The edibility of kiwi fruit is very important. We invest a lot of our time and effort in fruit ripening technology and move away from preservatives to guarantee that our customers only eat healthy and safe kiwi fruit. We installed more specialized cold storage warehouses where the edibility of kiwi fruit can naturally develop, so that our customers can enjoy our kiwi fruit immediately upon purchasing our fruit in the store. We aim to educate consumers about kiwi fruit, develop a larger group of customers, and turn kiwi fruit into one of the staple fruits on the Chinese market. The green kiwi fruit variety is still the most important variety in Chinese production areas. The red and yellow kiwi fruit varieties complement the kiwi fruit market. This division is the result of limitations in harvest period and supply period. Overseas importers in Europe and the USA have begun to notice the red-heart kiwi fruit variety, and as a result of this attention the surface area devoted to red-heart kiwi fruit plantation in China tripled in the last 5 years."
When asked about the efforts of kiwi fruit giant Zespri to produce and promote red-heart kiwi fruit on an industrial scale, manager Lu answered, "Red kiwi fruit has been produced in China for at least 10 years. Chinese consumers love this variety because it looks attractive and tastes sweet. The price is quite high and shows no sign of coming down. The globalization of a red kiwi fruit market will help to raise the popularity of this variety in overseas markets. This in turn will provide stimulation for the Chinese red kiwi fruit industry."
Qifeng Fruit has 473 hectares of kiwi fruit plantation. The company began to manage the plantation in accordance with European industry standards in 2015 and quickly adopted global G.A.P. The company also has BRC and IFS certifications for retail, wholesale, and distribution in Europe.
Qifeng Fruit constructed China's first high-standard refrigerated warehouse with capacity of 30 thousand tons. The warehouse has 3 automated selection lines. "We actively participate in the highly competitive Chinese fruit market. We built our reputation with a stable supply of top-quality kiwi fruit, and we hope to establish Shaanxi kiwi fruit as a brilliant, national brand."
For more information:
Lu Wenbo
Shaanxi Qifeng Fruit Co., Ltd.
Tel.: +8613759759026
E-mail: luwenbo@qifengfruit.com