As Chinese New Year celebrations move closer, the only challenge to rear its head for the event so far is the possibility of bad weather.
Fruit imports are reportedly looking positive, compared to the same time last year when several main categories were experiencing price or quality troubles.
“The market just picked up lately on price for the holiday demand,” Matthew Tang of importer Linkage Holdings told Fruitnet.com.
“This week all the away-from-home managers and workers will start to go home for the long Chinese New Year holiday. Despite the poor weather, the buyers are hurrying to take up stock for the event.”
Mr Tang said the rising prices should help several categories, in particular Chilean cherries.
“It is helping a lot on the Chilean cherries, which were terribly low on price for the early air shipments. The new arrival of sea shipments will do well.”
Prices for US Red Delicious and Gala apples have rebounded and are now looking good, and prices for late US grapes and early-season African grapes are staying high as a result of low supply.
“In general, the local fruits are relatively stable in view of the high inflation rate,” Mr Tang said. “The volume is not that huge that it will collapse the market.”
“The only uncertainty is if heavy snow blocks distribution. If this is not going to get worse, the market will do pretty well.”
