Next week, the first Conference pears of the new harvest will be picked in Haspengouw. This will also be the signal for the Belgian Fruit Auction in Sint-Truiden to restart the export to China, which last season successfully took place took place for the first time.

After a four-year trajectory, in which a number of certificates and permits had to be obtained, the Belgian Fruit Auction (BFV) was able to start the export of Conference pears to China for the first time a couple of months ago. “Due to slow administrative procedures, we could not start deliveries until the end of the season. However, we still managed to ship twenty-two 20-tonne containers over there" said Marc Evrard, Business Development Manager of the BFV. "The five largest department stores have purchased our products. They were very satisfied with the quality, the presentation, and the price.”

All factors are therefore in place to follow up this success story.
“In late August or early September we will start the export to China again. To accomplish this, we have our own people over there. The primary intention is to maintain the consistent quality of the supplies, and afterwards gradually increase the volume, both at the store chains that are now familiar with us, and in other cities.”
For the time being, the BFV is only permitted to export pears. "There is also an interest in China for other kinds of fruits, but it is premature to say that we will also be supplying them over there.”