"From the end of February to the end of March, demand for citrus exports remained stable, but it seems stronger this year. Since last week, orders have been increasing, and demand has become more active," said Chen Zhiming, General Manager of IsFresh (Xiamen), a company specializing in the export trade of Chinese citrus and grapes.
"The main citrus variety exported this season is Wogan. Currently, we are mainly exporting Wogan from Yunnan, which has a thick peel and is highly resistant to transport and storage, an advantage for export. We are also shipping a smaller volume of Wogan from Chongqing, which is relatively lower in price. Yunnan has had favorable weather this season with less rainfall, resulting in better quality and taste compared to last year. The price of Yunnan Wogan was relatively low earlier in the season, but it has started to rise recently as export orders increase."
It is understood that prior to Wogan, Sichuan's Papagan citrus saw the largest export growth this season. "Papagan began gaining traction in the export market last season and has drawn significant attention this year, with many businesses exporting in large volumes. In Southeast Asian supermarkets, such as those in Malaysia and Singapore, fruits like Lukan mandarin oranges and Ponkan mandarins typically dominate the shelves before the Chinese New Year due to their festive appeal. However, this year, the volume of Papagan was nearly equal to that of Lukan."
"Fruit sales were brisk before the Chinese New Year, but local market consumption dropped after the holiday. Papagan, which still had a large inventory and was not well-suited for long-term storage, needed to be sold off first. The market had to absorb this inventory before citrus orders could pick up again. That's one of the reasons for the sluggish demand in the first two months," Chen explained.
IsFresh (Xiamen) mainly exports to Southeast Asian markets, including Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, and Indonesia, with a focus on supermarket channels. Mr. Chen noted, "Demand and consumer preferences in these markets have remained fairly consistent in recent years. Supermarket clients tend to favor smaller-sized citrus and compact packaging."
"The export season for Wogan typically lasts until mid-to-late May. After that, the citrus season ends, and grapes take over in the export market," he added.