On the afternoon of February 28, 324 kilograms of New Zealand soft-jujube kiwifruit (kiwi berries) arrived at the Shanghai Airport Port and quickly cleared customs after completing customs inspection. This is the first batch of imported products since China implemented the quarantine access policy for New Zealand kiwi berries in June 2024.
New Zealand kiwi berries officially return to the Chinese market
The kiwi berries imported this time are branded Munch’n, from the Australian Freshmax Group. The group operates cold chain distribution businesses in many countries around the world, and its main products include apples, citrus, berries, cherries, durian, etc. Munch’n kiwi berries are produced in New Zealand and are supplied from February to April each year, mainly sold to Asia and Australia.
The packaging specifications of kiwi berries are 125g/box and 12 boxes/box. The e-commerce platform shows that the retail price of the first batch of kiwi berries is 48.5 yuan/box, equivalent to 194 yuan/500g. In contrast, the scale of domestic kiwi berry cultivation is expanding, and the price of local kiwi berries supplied in summer and autumn (July to October) is significantly lower than that of imported products.
Characteristics and market prospects of kiwi berries
The scientific name of kiwi berries is Actinidia arguta, which is native to China and belongs to the pure fruit group of the kiwi genus of the Actinidia family. The average single fruit is 8 grams, which is only 1/10 the size of ordinary kiwis. The skin is hairless and the skin color covers green, pink and purple. The taste is relatively sweet, with the aroma of tropical fruits such as kiwi, passion fruit and pineapple.
After eight years, it regained access
Around 2010, New Zealand kiwi berries were exported to China as a "large category of kiwis", but because they were not included in my country's fruit quarantine access list, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine suspended their imports in March 2016.
In 2023, Actinidia arguta will be officially added to the Chinese fruit access list, and France will become the first country allowed to export kiwi berries to China, but cold treatment is required. New Zealand followed closely behind, and no cold treatment is required. After packaging and inspection and quarantine, kiwiberries can be imported directly. This policy adjustment provides new opportunities for New Zealand kiwiberries to enter the Chinese market, and future market performance is worth looking forward to.