Brazil has only recently obtained permission to export muskmelons to China. The country began supplying the Chinese market with muskmelons in September last year when the first Brazilian muskmelons arrived by air at Shanghai Pudong International Airport. The sales season came to an end after several months. Judy, a spokesperson for Tian Tian Orchard, recently talked about the Chinese market conditions of Brazilian muskmelons.
Tian Tian Orchard imports Piel de Sapo muskmelons from Brazil. The muskmelons were quite ripe and looked good by the time they arrived in China. They were quickly sold. "The Piel de Sapo muskmelon has an exquisite flavor and is both sweet and pure. The flavor is very different from domestic muskmelons." The Piel de Sapo muskmelon has several characteristics: there is a triangular empty space at its core, and the melon rind is thin, which means that almost the entire muskmelon is edible. The outside is green with dark stripes. Furthermore, the Piel de Sapo muskmelon is a large muskmelon variety. Individual melons can weigh up to 3 kg.
Tian Tian Orchard is an importer of fruit. In their opinion the Piel de Sapo muskmelon has huge potential in the Chinese market, but it can not be denied that there are several obstacles before this muskmelon can conquer the Chinese market.
"First, the ripeness can be problematic. If the muskmelons are not ripe enough, then their flavor is not as good as domestic muskmelons. And if they are too ripe, then they can not be stored very long before they spoil. Second, Piel de Sapo are currently only supplied via air freight, and the transport cost is high. This in turn pushes the retail price up. The price of a single Piel de Sapo muskmelon is around 200 yuan [30.94 USD]. That is 4-5 times the price of other muskmelons in the Chinese market," said Judy.
When asked about the plans for the next import season, Judy replied, "This is the first time that Brazil has permission to export muskmelons to the Chinese market. This fruit has unique characteristics that attract the attention of Chinese consumers. The sales conditions went very well in high-end markets. However, consumers are not yet that familiar with this muskmelon variety. China already has many well-known domestic muskmelon brands. And these muskmelons are much cheaper than the Brazilian ones. That is why our import volume was not that big this season. In 2021 we will import according to the market conditions at that time."
Tian Tian Orchard was established in 2009 and is one of China's leading fruit importers and retailers. The company selects top-quality fruit from major production areas across the globe. The company has business contacts in more than 100 countries around the world. Tian Tian Orchard opens up and develops fresh fruit markets, and has been the 'first importer' for several fruit varieties.
For more information:
Sophie Zhang
Tian Tian Orchard
E-mail: [email protected]