How do imported fruits keep Chinese consumers interested?
On April 1, a bulk carrier loaded with over 3,500 tons of new season Zespri kiwifruits from New Zealand unloaded at the Yangshan South Port in Shanghai. Chilean cherries, a product also from the southern hemisphere, saw the sales plummet for the first time in China this season, due to consumers’ diminishing interest and the incident where the Covid-19 virus was tested on the surface of the fruit. Prices were halved or even worse. Similar to Chilean cherries, China is the largest single market for New Zealand’s kiwifruit exports. Will this product experience a similar fate this season?