The fruit market has experienced a surge in activity this week owing to heightened consumer demand during the Qingming Festival, resulting in increased sales of select festival fruits.
Notably, sales of New Zealand apples have seen a significant uptick. Despite the holiday influence, prices have remained stable, yet sales have notably accelerated. Catering to diverse customer preferences, merchants have observed varying trends. While the more affordable Gala variety emerges as a bestseller for some, others report greater popularity for high-end brands priced around ¥400-500/box. It's worth noting that the current supply of New Zealand apples predominantly comprises small-sized fruits.
New Zealand apples
Additionally, South African Flash Gala apples have made an earlier-than-usual appearance this year, with prices approximately 10% higher compared to previous seasons. However, due to their arrival proximity to the Qingming Festival and the initial market price surge, the festival's impact on their sales remains limited.
Left: South African apples; Right: Peruvian avocados
In contrast, the influx of Yunnan blueberries has led to an increase in market supply, resulting in a decline in prices since last week. The market is now primarily dominated by Yunnan and local blueberries, with prices aligning closely across similar products. Larger-sized blueberries, measuring 15mm or more, are currently priced around ￥110-120/piece, marking a ¥10 decrease from previous rates. Merchants attribute this price adjustment to heightened demand spurred by the Qingming Festival, with further price drops anticipated post-holiday due to increased supply.
Australian Crimson red grapes have experienced a 30% reduction in production this season due to adverse weather conditions. Despite lower supply volumes, the grapes boast high quality, leading to brisk sales at a price of around ￥260/piece. Meanwhile, the price of green grapes has seen a slight decrease, with Chilean grapes gaining favor over Peruvian ones as the latter nears the end of its production season.
Chinese blueberries
The price fluctuations of Peruvian avocados reflect market dynamics, with a sharp decline in mid-March due to a surge in arrivals and fluctuating quality. Although prices temporarily plummeted to ￥60/piece, they have since rebounded to ￥140-150 /box. However, buyers often prefer earlier arrivals due to their lower prices, despite potentially inferior quality.
Egyptian grapefruit prices remain high at around ￥220-230/piece, attributed to high production costs and sluggish sales.
Thai Monthong durians
Imported durian varieties, including Monthong, Kanyao, Gradoomthong, and Puang Manee, have seen a gradual increase in volume, leading to declining prices. Thai Monthong A6 fruit now sells for approximately ￥1300/piece, a ¥50-100 decrease from the previous week. With the increased availability of Thai Monthong, Vietnamese Monthong prices have also seen a corresponding reduction of around 10%. Despite these price adjustments, durian sales remain sluggish overall.
Finally, as temperatures rise, watermelon sales have accelerated, particularly for Qilin watermelons, which have seen satisfactory demand recently.