South African Apples: Summer’s Star Fruit on Pupu Mall

As the weather in China turns colder, the peak sales season for South African apples is drawing to a close.

The harvest season for South African apples runs from January to May — the opposite of China’s — while exports typically peak in June. In recent years, this off-season advantage has consistently fueled steady growth in South African apple exports to China, with export volumes rising by more than 22% over the past five years.

A purchasing representative from Pupu Mall, a fast-growing e-commerce platform, told Produce Report that since South African apples were introduced on Pupu in 2018, they have been extremely popular with consumers owing to their off-season availability, crisp and sweet taste, and excellent value for money. Pupu typically begins stocking these apples in May and sells them through late October or early November, with peak sales from June to August each year.

According to the representative, Pupu primarily sells South African Fuji apples. While these apples are not bagged during the growing stage and therefore lack the perfect appearance typical of many apples, they have gained a large following among consumers who prioritize freshness and flavor.

Whether for individual consumers or families, one-pound packages of South African apples are highly popular. Their consumption scenarios are also diverse, including daily family meals, break-time snacks for students and office workers, and energy replenishment for fitness enthusiasts.

As an online retailer serving the local community, Pupu maintains high product selection standards. It not only emphasizes the taste, freshness and quality of apples but also considers origin and supply stability as key criteria. South African apples perfectly meet these requirements, making them a star product for Pupu during the summer.

Data from China’s General Administration of Customs indicate that from January to September 2025, China imported 16,938 metric tons of fresh apples and 1,872 metric tons of fresh pears from South Africa. Today, South Africa exports a wide array of apple and pear varieties to China. Hortgro Pome, the organization representing South Africa’s apple and pear growers, stated that it aims to continue expanding both export volumes and the variety range available on the Chinese market, introducing more specialty varieties in addition to its main product lines such as Fuji and Gala apples and Forelle and Packham’s Triumph pears.

Image: Pupu Mall

This article was translated from Chinese. Read the original article.