Chinese holidays and vacations push up pomelo price
In week 35, the first Chinese pomelos arrived in the Netherlands, a week earlier than in the previou…In week 35, the first Chinese pomelos arrived in the Netherlands, a week earlier than in the previous season. “In the past two years, 700 containers have arrived in Europe every year. We expect a similar amount this year,” says Xian Huang, responsible for Chinese purchases for Yex in Poeldijk. We’re now getting harvests from young plantations, not just in Pinghe, but also in the Guangxi and Guangdong provinces.”
According to the importer, the months from July until December are the Chinese pomelo months, and other producing countries such as Vietnam or Thailand can’t even compete with this. “Purchasing prices started at the same level as last season. Prices then dropped, but now they have risen again because of Mid-Autumn Day in week 38 and the National Holiday in week 40, which results in a lot of demand on the local market,” Xian says. “Because of this, demand has been larger than supply in the past two weeks.”
The consumption of pomelos in Western Europe, Scandinavian countries and Eastern Europe is at a stable level according to Xian. “The permanent importers have their programmes. New importers on the market now buy small volumes on a weekly basis. The white and pink-fleshed pomelos are still the most popular ones on the market. The orange-fleshed pomelos are new, and still have to make a name for themselves in Europe.”
