The production season of Xianju bayberry in Zhejiang, China, is currently underway. This year has been an off year for Xianju bayberry, with low temperatures at the beginning of the year affecting pollination and reducing the output by about 30%. Early-season heavy rainfall made the bayberries taste sour, but as the weather cleared up last week, the Brix levels increased, stabilizing the sour-sweet ratio.
"As far as the domestic market is concerned, the most noticeable change this year is the shift in sales channels," said Rizvan Wu, from Xianju County Xiandai Agricultural Development Co., Ltd., which specializes in the cultivation and domestic and foreign sales of Xianju bayberry. "Most orders for bayberry come from online, with offline sales being very small. This trend has been evident in recent years, and this year it is particularly obvious."
"Take our company, for example. Online orders are growing every year, and this year's order volume has doubled compared to last year. Some local traditional agricultural cooperatives are also shifting to online sales models."
"Live streaming sales started in Xianju last year with ideal results. This year, there was no further growth, but it developed alongside other online models." In addition to live-streaming, online sales of Xianju bayberry also include private domain agents, Xiaohongshu, and influencer-led sales. Offline orders mainly come from corporates.
The export of Xianju bayberry started in mid-June. According to Rizvan, the export market continues to grow every year, and the products are popular locally. This year's export price is roughly the same as in the past, and the export volume has increased by about 20%. "The export of bayberry is mainly to Chinese supermarkets. This year, a special order came from the Dubai royal family, who contacted us to order Xianju bayberry. After tasting it, they were satisfied and have since repurchased it. This has greatly strengthened our confidence in the export of Xianju bayberry."
To adapt to the domestic market, Rizvan adjusted the packaging specifications of bayberry. "In response to consumption downgrades, we reduced the specifications of each box of bayberry, and with the increase in production capacity, the price of each box has dropped by about 30%." It is reported that the best-selling specification is 5 kg of top-grade fruit, which contains 45-60 bayberries.
Xiandai Agriculture adopts the model of processing plant + cooperative + grower, owns over 33 hectares of bayberry orchards, and sells under the brand "Xiandai Youxuan". The company's export markets include the United States, Canada, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates, and it is exploring the markets of Indonesia, Russia, Cambodia, and Australia.
Rizvan Wu