Image Source : InnoFresh Agriculture
September is when China’s domestically-grown kiwifruit hit the markets. A fruit that resembles kiwifruit has been available on supermarket shelves for approximately a month before the arrival of the kiwifruit.
Kiwi berries ( Actinidia Arguta) look like miniature green kiwifruits. They are roughly the same size as large grapes and have a smooth, edible skin. They are a complex flavor; they have a slightly sweeter taste than kiwifruit, but retain light acidic flavors.
Wild kiwi berries are a native fruit of China and can be found throughout the country. However, commercial cultivation of the fruit in China didn’t begin until a decade ago. Due to the high loss rate in storage and transport, kiwiberries are not often seen on China’s market. Before 2016, kiwi fruit from other countries could be sold for up to 600 Chinese Yuan ($93) per kg.
Produce Report recently connected with two industry insiders for an in-depth look at this niche fruit.
Fan Jinming, founder of InnoFresh Architecture, a major kiwi fruit producer, told Produce Report this is the tenth year InnoFresh has been involved in the cultivation. InnoFresh introduced varieties and growing technology from Belgium in the beginning. It now owns patent rights to three cultivars of kiwi fruit in China, Mini Green No. 1 (a green-skinned, kiwi berry with a green pulp), and Mini Red No. 1 (a red-skinned, kiwi berry containing green pulp), Mini Red No. 1 (a red-skinned, kiwi berry containing red pulp). The kiwi berries of all three types are smaller than the typical kiwi, weighing in at 8 to 15 grams each. However, they all have an average sugar content of 18 degrees Brix.
Fan’s kiwi fruits made their first market debut in 2016, and were commercially produced two years later. They are now available at multiple retailers including Costco, Sam’s Club and Ole, as well as online platforms like MissFresh and Dingdong Maicai.
InnoFresh Agriculture currently has around 27 hectares worth of orchards that it owns in Ya’an, Sichuan province. It also invests in 120 hectares in kiwi berry orchards across Sichuan and Yunnan.
InnoFresh’s Kiwi berries are available in the southern part of China because all these plantations can reach the market in August. This is one month earlier than most of its competitors and remains in stock until October. As production increases, InnoFresh will also try to push the start of the supply season forward to late June in the future. Furthermore, the increased availability is aided by multiple orchards spread over large areas. This helps to mitigate climate risk.
Patty Li, the commodity manager at Frutacloud, an industry leader in B2B fruit, stated that while prices have fallen in recent years, the kiwiberry market is still very limited. There is little chance that the price will drop because of a variety factors such as limited production, high plant cost, short shelf lives, and high loss rates.
Fan echoed Li’s comments. InnoFresh is a pioneer in the kiwiberry industry. It must find its own way with regard to issues like varietal development and post-harvest practices. There is little existing expertise. Both interviewees agreed that the long-term prospects for kiwiberries in China are still very bright, despite the challenges ahead.
Source : guojiguoshu and producereport
