First Batch of New Zealand Kiwi Berries Arrives in Shanghai

On the afternoon of Feb. 28, a shipment of 324 kilograms of fresh New Zealand kiwi berries arrived at Shanghai Pudong International Airport after an 11-hour flight. This marked the first batch of New Zealand kiwi berries to receive quarantine approval since the implementation of a new import protocol between China and New Zealand in June 2024.

The kiwi berries belonged to the Munch’n brand, owned by Freshmax Group, a leading fresh produce company based in Australia and New Zealand. Freshmax operates cold-chain distribution and export businesses in Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Chile, Peru, Indonesia and Turkey, supplying a variety of fruits including apples, avocados, bananas, blueberries, cherries, citrus, durians, grapes, jackfruit, pears and strawberries.

Munch’n kiwi berries are grown in New Zealand and available from February to April. They are primarily sold to Asian and Australian markets and packaged in 125-gram boxes, with 12 boxes per carton. According to e-commerce data, the typical retail price for the first batch was 48.5 Chinese yuan ($6.70) per box, equivalent to 388 yuan ($53.63) per kilogram.

Kiwi berries (Actinidia arguta) are native to China and are now widely cultivated in several Chinese provinces. The domestic harvest season runs from July to October, and locally grown kiwi berries are significantly cheaper than the imported fruit. These berries are about one-tenth the size of regular kiwifruit, with an average weight of 8 grams per fruit. They have a smooth, hairless skin in green, pink or purple and offer a tropical flavor similar to kiwifruit, passion fruit and pineapples.

New Zealand kiwi berries were initially exported to China under the broader “kiwifruit” category, despite not being on China’s approved fresh fruit list. In March 2016, however, China’s General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine issued a notice suspending imports of kiwi berries from New Zealand. Actinidia arguta was officially added to China’s fresh fruit market access list in 2023, with France becoming the first country authorized to export kiwi berries to China. While French kiwi berries require cold treatment before entry, New Zealand kiwi berries can be imported directly after undergoing packaging, inspection and quarantine procedures.

Image: Pixabay

This article was translated from Chinese. Read the original article.