5 types of Chinese apples sold in Vietnamese markets, women can easily get confused

Stone apples, mini apples, jujubes, bleached apples, and cherry apples are the names of five types of Chinese apples that are flooding Vietnamese markets at the moment. If consumers do not know how to differentiate, they may end up buying the wrong type of Chinese apples, even though they do not want to.

According to a leader of the Plant Protection Department (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development), because China is a neighboring country, we usually import whatever fruit our neighbor has. Notably, there are fruits that are imported all year round, in quite large quantities such as: grapes, oranges, pears, apples,...

As for Chinese apples, Vietnam imports not just one but several types, especially at this time when there are up to 5 types of Chinese apples being sold in the market.

Pinkish Red Bleached Apple

The most familiar type of Chinese apple to consumers is bleached apple - the name often used by vendors at wholesale markets. In traditional markets, sellers call it sugar apple.

The characteristics of this type of apple are its beautiful shiny skin, pink-red color, large, even fruit, sweet taste, and very fragrant smell. Apples are imported all year round and are always available at fruit stalls. However, now is the main season so the amount of washed apples is greater.

Sugar apples are imported year round.

At the wholesale market, a 12kg box of bleached apples costs around 100,000 VND (about 8,000 VND/kg), VIP bleached apples cost 160,000 VND/box of 12kg (about 13,000 VND/kg). When arriving at the local market, bleached apples cost 40,000 VND/kg for the beautiful, large apples; smaller apples cost 30,000 VND/kg.

Rock Apple

Another type of Chinese apple is the stone apple. More than a decade ago, stone apples existed under the name "Ha Giang stone apples" to deceive consumers. Because Chinese stone apples are ugly, some big, some small, some wormy, some crooked,... when harvested, the apples are often uneven in color, half are red, the other half are still green,... very similar to the type of apples harvested in the mountainous regions of Vietnam.

However, stone apples are loved by consumers because in addition to the "clean fruit" label, these apples are crispy, sweet, and super cheap, at the beginning of the season they cost only 35,000 VND/kg, and in the middle of the season like now they cost only 25,000 VND/kg.

Chinese rock apples labeled "Ha Giang rock apples".

This time last year, authorities "exposed" that stone apples were not Ha Giang apples, but Chinese apples.

Jujube

Completely different in appearance from the above apples, the outside of the jujube is quite similar to the small green-skinned sour apples of Vietnam, the size of a thumb. They differ only in that the skin is alternately colored, as if it were darkened, similar to rotten apples.

Jujube is advertised as a good medicine, crispy and slightly sweet, and has only appeared in Vietnam's markets for about two years.

Jujube is considered a great tonic and has good effects on health.

Jujubes are also in season now, so they are sold everywhere from traditional markets to "online markets", prices range from 70,000-90,000 VND/kg, depending on the type.

Some people, although knowing this is jujube, still buy it to try out of curiosity, others think this is a wild fruit so they buy it to soak in wine or make jam because they think it is good for health.

Mini pink apple

Another type of Chinese apple that is flooding the markets is the mini pink apple. The outstanding feature of this apple is that it has a slightly pink color and the fruit is as small as a plum. At first glance, it looks quite similar to New Zealand's rocket apple.

When eating mini pink apples, you will find that the taste is quite similar to bleached apples, which means they are also crispy, sweet, and fragrant. One kilo of apples contains about 20 - 22 fruits. The selling price at the market is fluctuating from 35,000 - 40,000 VND/kg.

Mini pink apples are currently flooding the markets in large quantities.

At wholesale markets, the price of mini pink apples is only 15,000-20,000 VND/kg, depending on the type. Notably, wholesale shop owners said that mini pink apples are in season, so the market is flooded with goods, and there are all kinds of quantities.

This is also the second year this type of apple has been available on the Vietnamese market, making many housewives curious to buy it and try it.

Cherry apple

This is a brand new Chinese apple that has just appeared on the market. They are called cherry apples by traders at the wholesale market because the fruit is small and similar to the three-flower plum. In particular, their skin is red-yellow, quite similar to the American yellow cherry.

According to the advertisement of the traders, this type of apple is a plum hybrid, has a slightly sour taste and is not sweet like other types of Chinese apples, stone apples or mini pink apples, but the appearance is very shiny and beautiful. The wholesale price of cherry apples is 35,000 VND/kg.

Cherry apples are the size of plums and have a sweet and sour taste.

Currently, at retail fruit stalls or sold online, cherry apples are quite a hot item because consumers are very curious and want to buy them to try. Their selling price therefore ranges from 55,000 - 70,000 VND/kg.

According to VNN