Market demand slightly declined compared to the period around the First of May holiday and Mother's Day. In addition, Guangzhou suffered from torrential rains that kept people at home. The number of visitors to Guangzhou Fruit Wholesale Market significantly declined. Market traders are not satisfied with product movement these days.
South African grapefruit
Commonly imported fruits at this time of year are citrus fruits, grapes, and apples. South African grapefruits entered the market not too long ago. Their supply season continues until autumn. According to traders their price is not yet stable. This is also the peak sales season for Egyptian oranges. Their price is around 145 yuan [21.36 USD] per box. The product quality has not been ideal. Most of the grapes on the market come from Chile, Australia, and South Africa.
Import apples
One seller of Chilean red grapes said that product movement differed on the basis of grape variety. The #167 and #235 sold best. There are also Australian red grapes, Australian green grapes, and the rare Australian seedless green grape 'Autumn Crisp'. That variety is sweet and crisp, and available on the market from March until late May.
Australian grapes
One box of Australian 'Autumn Crisp' costs around 460 yuan [67.78 USD]. One trader explained that product movement depends on product quality. The South African 'Gold finger' black grape, also known as Moon drop grapes, recently entered the market. The product quality is stable, but the season is still early, so the price is rather high. The most common imported apple varieties in the market are Red Rose apples and Gala apples from New Zealand and Chile. One trader explained that product movement is more or less the same for apples from either production area.
South African 'gold finger' black grapes
Other imported fruits in the Guangzhou market include common pears from New Zealand. Their supply season falls in April and May. The current price is 120-130 yuan [17.68-19.15 USD] per box of 10 kg. Product movement is more or less stable. Peruvian avocados also do well in the current market. New Zealand kiwi fruit recently arrived too.
New Zealand common pears
The market also features a variety of premium domestic fruits, including the popular Yunnan blueberries. The prices of domestic blueberries vary wildly because there are many different brands, sizes, and grades. The prices range between 30-200 yuan [4.42-29.47 USD] per box. Honey peaches from Hebei sell for 100 yuan [14.73 USD] per box of 2.5 kg, but product movement is not yet ideal. Some of the best-selling domestic fruits include yellow peaches, cherry tomatoes, 'soy milk' pineapple, and Hainan wax apples.
Yunnan blueberries
The most popular fruit among Southeast Asian fruits is the Thai durian. However, because the supply volume is growing, but market demand declined after the holidays, the current price is falling. One box of Mon Thong durian is around 720-750 yuan [106-110 USD]. The season for Thai jackfruit is almost over. The current price is around 100 yuan [14.73 USD] per box. One trader explained that Thai jackfruit is difficult to sell after May. As for Thai coconuts, product movement was regular this week. Thai mangosteen are available, but this is still early in the season, and the price keeps falling. Product movement is far from ideal.
Domestic cherry tomatoes (left) and Thai coconuts (right)
Some traders mentioned that Mother's Day provided some stimulus for fruit sales, but after the holiday, product movement slowed down. Other traders blamed the pandemic and the general economic malaise. Consumers are very careful these days and that has some impact on product movement. Yet other traders blame slow product movement on the product quality of the fruit when it arrives at Guangzhou Fruit Wholesale Market.