Declining Demand for Grapefruit in Japan Since 2015

In Japan, the grapefruit market continues to shrink since 2015. The import volume in 2015 was 100,960MT, compared to 2021 with 51,341MT, which has decreased by around half. Considering that the average unit price per kg was USD 1.12 in 2015 and USD 1.14 in 2021, price is not a factor in this decline. The wholesale market reports types and quality of fruits that are produced in Japan have improved, and grapefruit is gradually becoming less of an option for end-users. Between June and August of 2022, a Japanese trading company imported a large amount of grapefruit from South Africa to tap into demand in Japan. However, they were not successfully selling this grapefruit and suffered heavy losses. Considering these circumstances, the sale of grapefruit in Japan is challenging.