China: Extended sales period for Xinjiang sugar plums this year

A promotional event for sugar plums from Payzawat County in Xinjiang province was recently held at Beijing’s Xinfadi wholesale market. These plums were sent by air, allowing them to arrive at the market with ideal firmness and size. Reports indicate that this year’s sugar plum production in Xinjiang will be higher than in previous years, leading to a reduction in overall market prices. Two-kilogram cartons are currently priced at 85–90 Chinese yuan ($11.92–12.62), significantly lower than the typical early-season prices of over 100 yuan ($14.02) seen in previous years. Sugar plums from Payzawat County are regarded to be of exceptional quality owing to the region’s abundant sunshine, which ranges from 2,534 to 3,051 hours annually, and a diurnal temperature variation of 14.3 degrees Celsius. Because of the environmental conditions and slightly alkaline soil, growers in Payzawat County do not need to use pesticides or ripening agents, and the plums feature a sugar content as high as ...