Leading apple juice concentrate producer Shaanxi Haisheng Fresh Fruit Co has signed a deal with Laibin City in China to plant 200ha of tangerines for research.
Tangerine breeding including virus-free and newer strains will be the focus of the research, according to Xinhua News.
Haisheng will also work alongside the city as part of its five-year contract to develop fresh fruit sorting lines and processing equipment in the area.
Richard Zhang, COO of Haisheng, told Fruitnet that the company’s vision was to become one of the largest gruit growers in China.
“We focus on one thing: production,” Zhang said. “People from the distribution business told us that the first 20 years [of China’s fruit business] is about distribution. However, the second 20 years is all about the products. The one who has the best products leads the industry.”
Haisheng was founded in 1996 and focused on fruit juice concentrate before turning to agricultural production in 2010, with 26 apple orchards across the country.
