European importers have called for better quality standards to be imposed on Chinese pomelo exporters to stop a flood of fruit picked and shipped too early from turning European consumers off the import.
Importers are also to blame in some instances, Fruitnet.com heard from Sjaak van der Meij of Hagé International, part of Dutch group The Greenery.
“European importers are pushing for Chinese pomelos too early - the texture of the fruit is currently too dry and it’s not ready for the market – but they all want to be first,” he said.
“In the last week of August we saw the first pomelo shipments into Holland, and the product was shipped four weeks ago, which is far too early.”
The poor-quality early fruit is damaging the Chinese pomelo reputation in the market, souring a promising import line already troubled by oversupply.
“Early fruit is dangerous,” Willem Kokkeel of Dutch importer Jin-Jin told Fruitnet. “The taste is not good; it is sour with low Brix levels and the fruit is not juicy.”
“Still many importers bring a lot of fruit on the market in spite of these problems. When the good fruit finally arrives, the markets are already spoiled. Retailers are insecure and consumers disappointed in the fruit quality.”
Mr van der Meij said picking should ideally not start in China before the end of August, and the country’s industry needs to work to set regulations on when the fruit can be picked and loaded for export.
“For instance, Zespri only ships when the Brix levels of the kiwifruit are right, and a similar policy needs to be implemented for Chinese pomelo.”
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