The Chinese New Year is being celebrated in China and an endless stream of people are heading to the fruit market for last-minute fruit purchases. Consumers are as always buying all kinds of fruit in large quantities, either for direct consumption or as a gift. Among all these fruits, apples and cherries are the big stars on the fruit market as they unrelentingly attract consumers.
Apples
Giving apples as a present during New Year is a big tradition. It has a deep meaning for the Chinese: since apples are round, they convey the happiness of a whole and reunited family. The sound of 'apple' in Chinese is also the same as 'peace', which is of course very auspicious. So giving people apples at New Year means to wish them the peace and happiness of a united family in the coming year.
China produces a lot of apples but in 2016 there was a change in the import-export trend. Related data show that China had an export volume of fresh apples of 1.322 million tons, worth 1.45 billion USD. Compared to the same period the year before, it means a respective increase of 59% and 41%. So the export of fresh apples keeps increasing fiercely. The opposite can be said for the import of fresh apples to China. The import volume of fresh apples was 67,000 tons in 2016, with a total value of 123 million USD. That is a respective decrease of 23% and 16% compared to the year before.
Cherries
Of the many different fruit varieties, the fruit that is known as the noblest among the imported fruits is without any doubt the cherry. On the eve of the Chinese New Year, offering a small box of high-priced cherries is considered as a gift that reflects a good reputation and generosity. This is also why the price of imported cherries has only been going up in a straight line ever since they appeared on the market.
The production of foreign cherries is mainly situated in the US and Canada. Within China, they are produced in Shandong, Sichuan, Liaoning, Hebei, Jiangsu and other regions. The region with the largest production is Shandong. Because Shandong has the most suitable soil and sunshine conditions for the growth of cherries, the best cherries come from here. Chinese cherries have a tender texture and are medium sweet with a hint of sour. The taste of imported cherries is more meticulous. They are sweet and more intense. That being said, most common people can't taste the 100 RMB of price difference between a Chinese and an imported cherry
Every year at the end of October, the import of Chilean cherries moves to a peak period. Because the production regions there suffered from violent rains, the cherries came on the market a month later than the year before. But the late appearance of the cherries on the market has not affected their reputation. At present, the price of black Chilean cherries on the market is between 80 RMB and 120 RMB per kg. Some retail shops of quality articles even sell them at a staggering price of 160 RMB per kg.
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