It is hoped the arrival of Belgian Conference pears in China for the first time could pave the way for more exports of fresh produce from Europe.
According to a report in the China Daily, the 17-tonne consignment of Conference pears arrived in China on 24 January.
The pears would retail individually for around US$0.60 - more than double the price of domestically-grown pears, reported the newspaper.
Initially the fruit would be sold through high-end supermarket chains such as Carrefour and Walmart, before being made available in wholesale markets, Wang Youquan, sales manager of Beijing Dole Food Co, told the publication.
'Consumers always prefer to buy fruit from wholesale markets as they are cheaper and fresher,” he said. “Besides, wholesale markets can distribute the Conference pears to smaller supermarkets and thus expand coverage.'
Marc Evrard of exporter Belgische FruitVeiling (BFV), told the China Daily the 10-month availability of the Conference pears would prove attractive to consumers. He added that they would complement the existing range of local products.
BFV would at first promote the pears in major cities, like Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen and Guangzhou, before marketing them in the second and third-tier cities.
Mr Evrard said Conference pears were well suited to the rigors of shipping and were an ideal export product.
According to the website of the Belgian Embassy in Beijing, Chinese people consumed 15bn kg of pears a year, meaning there was plenty of room in the market for the high-end product.
Belgian Embassy first secretary Michel Gerebtzoff told the newspaper the country now plans to export an additional seven products to China including horses, bees and pork.
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