Soft-seeded pomegranates hold significant importance for the Mid-Autumn Festival in the Chinese market. This year the soft-seeded pomegranate season commenced two weeks earlier. It is reported that the color, taste, overall price, and quantity of the pomegranates are ideal, maintaining consistency with previous years.
"Soft-seeded pomegranate gift boxes typically contain 6 or 8 fruits. This year, the larger size of the soft-seeded pomegranates has resulted in a shortage of 8-fruit gift boxes. In both domestic and export markets, the 8-fruit configuration is usually more popular." Mr. Liu Huan from Youth Red Ecological Agriculture Co., Ltd in Huili County, Sichuan Province, mentioned that soft-seeded pomegranates are the company's primary product.
Early September's unexpected hailstorms in Sichuan drastically affected the soft-seeded pomegranate supply for the Mid-Autumn Festival. "Between September 3-4, the production area experienced seven hailstorms, three of which were large-scale, significantly impacting the pomegranates during their picking period. This led to numerous order cancellations or postponements. Some orders were delayed once and ultimately canceled due to the unrelenting weather, severely disrupting the supply chain."
"By the week before the Mid-Autumn Festival, 70%-80% of the origin's inventory had been sold. However, market demand persisted, prompting the early release of bagged fruit, traditionally launched after the National Day holiday. Consequently, this year's harvest season for soft-seeded pomegranates may conclude prematurely."
On the export front, Liu reports an increase in overseas demand for soft-seeded pomegranates, with export prices and sales volumes being quite favorable. New export markets have also been established. During the initial three days of the production season, nearly all orders were for exports, dispatching two containers daily. Efforts to explore distant markets have commenced, with trial shipments of small fruit quantities. Regular export markets include Singapore and Russia, with a notable increase in demand from Singapore this year, alongside new markets like Sri Lanka and the Philippines.
Moreover, Mr. Liu highlighted a trend where despite a perceived decline in supermarket sales, a significant fruit enterprise has successfully penetrated lower-tier cities in recent years, opening fruit stores that offer both high-end and popular fruits, leading to an overall increase in sales volume. This trend may indicate a shift worth noting.
Youth Red Ecological Agriculture specializes in the cultivation, sales, and R&D of new soft-seeded pomegranate varieties. The company operates a 100-hectare pomegranate base and a nearly 8,000-square-meter factory, with "Youth Red" and "Different Youth Red" as its brand names. Additionally, it cultivates and sells golden plums in its orchard in Yunnan.