For many Belarusians, tropical fruits are no longer a rarity. Avocados and mangoes, once considered exotic, are now everyday items in supermarkets. Yet the category "exotic fruit" remains broad, encompassing any fruit that doesn't grow locally.
Local retailers explain that around 150 different exotic fruits are available, depending on the season and store format. Familiar fruits include persimmons, citrus, pineapples, kiwis, and apricots, while more unusual items, like kumquats, are gradually gaining popularity. The origins of these fruits span the globe, from South Africa, Vietnam, and Brazil to Italy, Spain, and China.
Exotic fruits often travel thousands of kilometers by air, sea, and road to reach Belarus. Transport conditions are carefully controlled, temperature, humidity, and timing are optimized so fruits arrive in peak condition.
As winter approaches, mandarins become a seasonal favorite. Suppliers source them from Turkey, Spain, Italy, Greece, Iran, and even China. Selection is based on taste, appearance, and customer preference, ensuring the best fruits reach local shelves. Persimmons, meanwhile, are trickier: Spanish varieties are consistently sweet, while Azerbaijani types may need a few days at room temperature to lose astringency. Other varieties, like Sharon from North Macedonia, offer unique shapes and flavors.
Some fruits, though popular abroad, are not imported due to limited demand or transport challenges. Guava, starfruit, mangosteen, and Buddha's hand, for instance, have appeared only in trial batches. Others, like pitahaya or longan, require careful harvesting to survive long transit times.
Thanks to improved logistics, Belarusian consumers now enjoy a wider range of exotic fruits than ever before.
Source: smartpress.by
