US Northwest apple marketing association the Washington Apple Commission (WAC) will ramp up its post-Chinese New Year promotional activities across Asia in a bid to sell surplus volumes arriving in markets once the festival is over.
The group says it will do whatever it can to help importers move product, which was ordered for the New Year sales period but has been delayed by up to 30 days due to an on-going labour dispute affecting major West Coast US ports.
Imported fruit sales typically slump in Asian markets after Chinese New Year – a time when consumers spend money on gifts, often fruit.
“We will expand all activities after Chinese New Year to help get surplus product through because it’s all stuck at port,” said WAC international marketing specialist Danelle Huber.
Activities include apple road shows in Malaysia, and WAC’s successful Mother’s Love campaign in Indonesia. Promotions will also ramp up in Vietnam and Thailand.
The port disruption comes at a time when Washington apple growers picked a record crop and demand in Asia is up.
In early February the industry estimated it had lost around US$62m in potential export earnings due to the port strike so far this season.
“The South East Asian market is growing. Asia wants more apples and prices are good this year,” said Huber.
“Exports are up 22 per cent on last year in spite of the port disruption. If it weren’t an issue, this percentage would be much more.”
WAC had hoped to double its volumes to China this year, and ship 6m containers.
In January, China agreed to open its doors to all Washington apple varieties for the first time. But mixed shipments weren’t due to start for another 40-60 days, Huber said.
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