Chinese cherry apples 'labeled' as Korean, Australian

Many retailers label Chinese cherry apples as Korean or Australian and sell them for 120,000-170,000 VND per kilogram.

In traditional markets, cherry apples cost between VND80,000 and VND120,000 per kilogram, but in imported fruit stores, the price can be up to VND150,000 per kilogram, much higher than other apple varieties (except jujube and Envy). Most vendors in traditional markets advertise that cherry apples are imported from Korea and Australia, despite the fact that many shipments originate from China.

Ms. Hong Loan, owner of a fruit stall at Tan Dinh market, Ho Chi Minh City, advertises that the cherry apples she sells are imported from Korea, packed in one-kilogram buckets, so the price is higher than those sold by the basket. "This type is always clean, fresh, sweet, sour, and easy to eat," she said.

Affirming that she has never sold Chinese goods, Ms. Thach Anh in Binh Thanh District said that these apples originated from Australia. According to her, cherry apples imported from Australia are available in September and October every year and are packaged in small buckets or 5 kg plastic boxes. The price of a box ranges from 350,000 to 400,000 VND, and every day she consumes hundreds of kilograms thanks to their superior quality and attractive appearance.

Although some sources claimed the goods were from Korea and Australia, many traders at the wholesale market revealed that most of these cherry apples were imported from China.

A fruit and vegetable importer at the Ho Chi Minh City wholesale market said that Chinese cherry apples are a domestic variety, small in size but attractive in color, crunchy, sweet and sour in taste, suitable for soaking in wine or making jam.

Sharing the same view, Mr. Loc, CEO of an imported fruit chain in Ho Chi Minh City, said that Korean and Australian cherry apples are very rare, most of the imported goods are from China with strict quarantine standards. Because of fear that consumers will not like Chinese goods, many retailers have labeled them as Korean to make them easier to sell. At his store, cherry apples have their prices and origins clearly listed.

Currently, in the Vietnamese market, there are many types of apples from China such as stone apples, jujube apples, honey apples, mini pink apples and cherry apples. Of these, cherry apples and jujube apples are the two most expensive.

A report from the Customs Department shows that in the first 7 months of the year, Vietnam spent nearly half a billion USD to import fruits and vegetables from China, an increase of 30% compared to the same period last year. Of which, apples were the most imported item, followed by grapes and many other agricultural products.

According to the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, the bilateral relationship between Vietnam and China is increasingly close, expanding two-way agricultural trade. Vietnam not only promotes fruit and vegetable exports to China but also imports large quantities of agricultural products from the neighboring country. However, to ensure food safety, plant quarantine regulations will be tightened. This is to strictly control quality and ensure consumer health in the context of increasing imports of agricultural products from China, especially items such as cherry apples.

Source