Exotic fruit production is on the rise in China, as consumers in the Asian nation become more aware of the category, according to Channel News Asia.
Singaporean entrepreneur Edwin Hooy has noted the trend and, along with his partners, moved to invest US$2.3m in a 200ha piece of land in Nanning. The land will be used to produce dragon fruit, a line predominantly imported into the People’s Republic from South East Asia.
“Around 80 per cent of dragonfruit is imported from Vietnam,” Hooy told Channel News Asia. “But we see a very strong trend of farmers in Guangxi, in Guangdong, growing dragon fruits. The percentage of imports will reduce over time.”
Hooy expects the Nanning plantation to producing commercial volumes within the next three years. He said the domestic production would help drive category growth, especially in second and third tier cities.
“A large part of China maybe don’t get to eat dragon fruit,” Hooy said. “Now Beijing, Shanghai they have, (but) what about places like Wuhan, Chengdu, all these are major cities but the people don’t get to buy exotic fruits. Most of the exotic fruits are only available in major cities.”
