It’s interesting that Australia and China now have a free trade agreement; and as of 12 December, Australia and South Korea are due to sign one.
The possibilities of fruit exports to China is not new. In the June 1, 1922 issue of the Tasmanian Fruitgrower and Farmer, H. Louey Pang writes about the prospects for trade. Below is an excerpt.
“Although China is a vast Empire and the area almost unthinkable, the fruit cultivation is sadly lacking.
The land is crowded with a population being 34 persons to every square mile. That land which is not densely populated is mostly mineral or barren lands.
What cultivation there is, mostly goes in rice or other like commodities.
Even the climate throughout China is not conducive to successful fruit production; and there is little or no room for much expansion.
Australia has a population of about 1.25 persons per square mile. Much of the land is suitable for fruit production and there are yet thousands of acres of rich ground untouched.
The Australian people should bear these facts in mind and grasp the opportunity that is offering itself.
Foreign fruits in China have great popularity. The markets are rushed when imported fruits arrive, and all the stores where fruit is sold give first place, both in showing and selling to the imported products.
They are, for the most part a sort of luxury, to be found amongst the best. The demand is very great, but so far, the attempt to meet this demand has been, comparatively speaking of no consequence.”
The writer goes on to talk about the good prospects for lemons, apples, canned fruit and dried fruit.
On apples he writes:
“The market for apples looks promising. The American’s apples are mostly Jonathan. These apples when sold, are fairly soft and mealy, which may suit the Europeans but the Chinese prefer the hard crisp apple.
If we could send a good variety of these hard apples I have no doubt that the market would open well for us and good returns would result.
Providing prices are favourable and shipping facilities are available, there is prospect of an enormous trade for Australian fruits on the Chinese markets.”
90 years on
So what will trade with Australia look like in another 90 or so years? Difficult to predict but it will be vastly different to what it is today.
In all this, the lesson should be: give the customer what they want, not what you can produce.
See Tree Fruit Dec 2014
