In 2016, citrus prices generally rose when the fruit hit the market, and the overall market was better than last year
How much can one jin of citrus sell for after it hits the market this year? Right now, during the season when citrus is bright and fragrant, major orchards are going all out to speed up sales. Yesterday, reporters learned from supermarkets, fruit wholesale markets and the Municipal Agriculture Commission that, as Chongqing's citrus "brand strategy" further deepened and market channels further broadened, citrus has greatly increased in "value" year on year this year.
Citrus prices rose across the board when the fruit hit the market
"Red tangerines 2.5 yuan/jin, navel oranges 3.5 yuan/jin, Jincheng oranges 2.9 yuan/jin, mandarin oranges 2.6 yuan/jin..." Yesterday morning, at a fruit shop on Panxi Second Branch Road in Jiangbei, reporters saw that citrus fruits had been placed by the shopkeeper in a prominent position. Changshou Shatian pomelos, Fengjie navel oranges, Zhongxian mandarin oranges, Dianjiang honey pomelos, Kaizhou red tangerines and more were all available, with tempting fruity fragrance.
"These fruits were picked not long ago, are not waxed or dyed, and are sweet and fresh." The shopkeeper recommended them, saying that current prices have been slightly adjusted compared with the "first-taste price" from some time ago, but compared with the same period last year they have risen sharply. For example, red tangerines rose from about 1.5 yuan/jin last year to about 2.5 yuan/jin this year, and Jincheng oranges rose from about 2.3 yuan/jin last year to about 2.9 yuan/jin this year.
In large supermarkets such as Yonghui, New Century and Vanguard, citrus fruits even made it onto the best-selling fruit list, becoming the true seasonal fruit "sales king" of the season. Although prices vary greatly depending on the size, weight and quality of individual fruits, the prices of citrus of the same type and quality are generally about 10% higher than last year.
The latest monitoring data from the Agricultural Information Center of the Municipal Agriculture Commission also showed that in the 47th week, the overall average retail price of fruit in Chongqing was about 3.7 yuan/jin. Although it fell 0.35% week on week overall, citrus fruits performed brilliantly. Among them, the average retail price of navel oranges was 3.55 yuan/jin, a slight week-on-week decline of 4.45%, but a clear year-on-year rise of 13.45%; the average retail price of honey pomelos was 3.34 yuan/jin, a slight week-on-week decline of 4.03%, but a clear year-on-year rise of 11.00%; the average retail price of tangerines was 2.48 yuan/jin, a slight week-on-week decline of 2.17%, but a clear year-on-year rise of 17.69%; the average retail price of Jincheng oranges was 2.84 yuan/jin, a slight week-on-week decline of 2.13%, but a sharp year-on-year rise of 28.54%; and the average retail price of Shatian pomelos was 3.54 yuan/jin, a slight week-on-week decline of 2.08%, but a slight year-on-year rise of 5.76%.
The overall market was better than last year
Affected by weak economic momentum, the impact of imported fruit and other factors, the fruit market this year has generally continued last year's sluggishness. Why, then, could citrus fruits rise suddenly this winter?
"This reflects that the supply-side structural reform of our city's citrus industry has begun to show results." A relevant expert from the Municipal Agriculture Commission analyzed that Chongqing is a major production area and premium production area for citrus nationwide, and the citrus industry ranks first among Chongqing's seven major characteristic industries. As of last year, the city's citrus planting area reached 2.973 million mu, up 2.52% from the previous year; total output reached 2.68 million tons, up 14.53% from the previous year, achieving "nine consecutive years of increase."
This is mainly due to our city combining its own advantages, continuously making technological innovations and tackling difficulties, cultivating high-quality, high-yield and high-benefit citrus, overcoming the technical difficulties of growing late-maturing citrus, and deepening supply-side structural reform; strengthening brand building, initially cultivating nationally known brands such as Changshou Shatian pomelo, Zhongxian citrus and Fengjie navel orange, with brand benefits now emerging; strengthening the integrated development of the "sixth industry," with a number of scenic spots, resorts and estates built around the citrus industry now attracting an endless stream of sightseeing and picking tourists; and further strengthening deep processing of citrus, extending the citrus processing industrial chain, with a number of orange juice enterprises also expanding their influence nationwide.
Market participants expect that later, as the supply of citrus further increases,citrusweek-on-week prices may fluctuate somewhat, but the overall market will be better than last year.