According to data from Yimutian Inc., following this negative incident and coupled with increased supply, plum prices have experienced a significant decline, with overall procurement interest dropping by 28%.
Recently, fresh plums have gradually entered the market, yet many consumers remain hesitant. Media reports indicate that a centralized plum collection point in Longhai District, Zhangzhou City, Fujian Province, was found illegally soaking plums in preservatives and excessively using unverified sweeteners to extend shelf life and enhance sweetness, raising serious food safety concerns.
The negative impact of the "illegal soaking" incident is now spreading across the entire plum industry. Wholesalers at the Shanghai Xijiao International Agricultural Products Trading Center (referred to as "Xijiao International") report that the plum market has cooled, with prices falling.
Data from the Yimutian Inc. platform shows that, compared to before the negative event, both procurement interest and prices for plums at the origin have dropped by over 20%.
Behind this controversy, the industry malpractice of illegal additives has also sparked deeper market reflection on fruit preservation methods and food safety issues.
**Plum Prices Plunge Amid "Illegal Soaking" Controversy** On the morning of May 19th, businesses at Xijiao International were already busy. In the fruit trading area, small transport vehicles shuttled back and forth unloading goods, while wholesalers were occupied sorting inventory and attending to buyers. It was observed that most merchants prominently displayed seasonal fruits like cherries, peaches, and loquats, with plums occasionally interspersed among them, indicating relatively low market enthusiasm.
Wholesalers at the market selling plums indicated they were generally aware of the recent "illegal plum additive" incident in Longhai, Zhangzhou, Fujian, but asserted that their plums were natural and additive-free. Due to the incident's impact, the plum market has cooled, and market prices have dropped. Current wholesale prices for plums range from 5 to 10 yuan per kilogram, with some supplies even below 5 yuan.
Based on Yimutian Inc. data, after this negative event emerged, combined with increased supply, plum prices have significantly declined. Particularly in several regions of Fujian, prices have fallen by over 20% compared to before the incident. Overall procurement interest for plums has decreased by 28%, and total sales volume has also dropped, with Fujian experiencing the most severe decline.
"The current plum market is very poor; even with price reductions, they are hard to sell," several plum wholesalers at Xijiao International stated. Regarding the quality of currently sold plums, some plum wholesalers mentioned that long-haul trucks must undergo random inspections before entering Xijiao International and are only allowed entry after passing the tests.
Subsequently, at the truck entrance of Xijiao International, multiple vehicles were seen waiting to enter. Several market staff members were supervising truck drivers as they collected agricultural product samples using white sampling bags, which were then sent to the customer service center for testing. Several truck drivers transporting plums were also waiting at the entrance for test results after submitting samples.
"Zhejiang, Fujian, Yunnan, and Jiangxi are the four main plum-producing regions in China. Currently, it is the early stage of the plum season. Early-ripening plums from Yunnan are already being sold in bulk, Zhangzhou plums from Fujian are at their peak season, while Zhejiang and Jiangxi have small quantities available. The mainstream market supply comes from core production areas like Shiping in Yunnan, Zhangzhou in Fujian, and Taizhou in Zhejiang," an analyst from the agricultural product circulation service platform Yimutian Inc. explained.
Public information shows that Zhangzhou has a history of plum cultivation spanning over 700 years. Zhangzhou City produces over 90,000 tons of plums annually, with Longhai District contributing more than 60,000 tons. The entire plum industry chain in Longhai has an output value of nearly 1 billion yuan.
Staff from the Longhai District Market Supervision Administration in Zhangzhou City recently stated that after this incident occurred, both municipal and district-level departments have attached great importance, and various disposal measures are being steadily advanced. Specific details should be based on officially released information.
A wholesaler of Fujian origin mentioned that Fujian plums take less than 24 hours to travel from the local area to the Shanghai market. They can be kept at room temperature for two to three days without major issues and can last up to a week in a refrigerator. A plum grower from Suzhou noted that plums are indeed difficult to preserve, typically being picked and shipped on the same day. Growers generally do not engage in practices like soaking in preservatives or adding sweeteners.
**How Can the Entire Industry Overcome the Fallout?** "Among southern delicacies, plums rank first." From ancient times to the present, plums, as a representative southern specialty, have been beloved by consumers. With improvements in logistics efficiency and full market circulation, agricultural products like plums, which were once regional, have crossed production areas and traveled farther. However, as circulation and transaction links increase, the safety risks for agricultural products also rise.
In actual circulation processes, illegal practices of excessive or unauthorized additives by unscrupulous businesses occur from time to time in the fruit industry and even the broader agricultural market. Several years ago, the orange industry was exposed to similar malpractices, where some fruit dealers illegally increased the dilution concentration of preservatives and ignored safety intervals, triggering a crisis of trust.
The Zhangzhou Market Supervision Administration recently stated publicly that plums are a type of bare fruit. According to the "National Food Safety Standard for the Use of Food Additives" (GB 2760), the addition of sodium cyclamate or saccharin sodium to fresh plums is strictly prohibited. Any use beyond the permitted scope or limits constitutes an illegal act. Sodium cyclamate is only permitted in processed foods like canned goods and preserves; its addition to fresh fruit is strictly forbidden. Excessive consumption may harm the liver and nervous system, posing higher risks to the elderly, pregnant women, and children.
An analyst from Yimutian Inc. believes the "illegal plum additive" incident is a typical negative case of "bad money driving out good," with similar cases occurring in other product categories. The actions of a few unethical businesses can cause a severe trust crisis in the industry in the short term, ultimately affecting the entire industry, including fruit farmers and consumers.
The analyst mentioned that the industry needs to shift from "firefighting after the fact" to "addressing the root cause at the source." The plum variety is extremely difficult to preserve (1-2 days at room temperature). To fundamentally reduce the motivation for soaking in chemicals, more comprehensive preservation technologies such as pre-cooling at the origin and cold chain transportation should be applied to extend the natural shelf life, thereby eliminating the rationale for chemical preservation.
It is understood from within the industry that, unlike the simple and crude addition of illegal substances, some plum-producing regions have explored more environmentally friendly and refined preservation methods. Using physical means to achieve preservation during plum transportation is currently the industry's standard practice. Examples include post-harvest pre-cooling, controlled atmosphere preservation technology, and vacuum compression packaging combined with ice-packed cold chain transportation. According to media reports, in Cixi, Zhejiang, a shared cold storage system has been established where plums are pre-cooled within 2 hours, extending the preservation period from less than 24 hours to over 72 hours. In Xianju, Zhejiang, controlled atmosphere preservation technology has been promoted and applied, scientifically adjusting the ratios of oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide in packaging to reduce losses during transportation.
Industry observers believe that for plum operators, applying正规 (standard/regulated) technologies increases operational costs, leading to slightly higher selling prices than the market average. However, given the trend of持续增长 (continuous growth) in per capita fruit consumption in China and consumers' increasing willingness to pay for high-quality fruit,转向 (shifting towards)正规 (standard/regulated) technologies is more conducive to stable business operations for merchants and promotes the long-term, healthy development of the entire plum industry.
Comments