'Eating clean' 100 tons of Chinese grapes 'disguised' as American and Australian grapes

At Long Bien wholesale market (Hanoi) - the largest trading place for Chinese fruits in the North, Chinese grapes are everywhere, loaded onto large trucks. At peak times, at Tan Thanh border gate (Lang Son) alone, imported Chinese grapes amounted to 100 tons/day. However, in a large consumer market like Hanoi, everywhere there are advertisements for American - Australian grapes...

Invite each other to "eat clean" 100 tons of grapes every day

Ms. Nguyen Thi Van Anh, Technician of Tan Thanh Plant Quarantine Station (Lang Son) said that in 2015, the number of Chinese grapes imported through Tan Thanh border gate to Vietnam was 389 batches, about 11,000 tons. During the peak period in 2015, 100 tons of Chinese grapes were imported through Tan Thanh border gate every day.

"In 2016, although it was not yet the peak season for importing Chinese grapes, we imported nearly 1,000 tons of grapes in just the first 5 months of the year," Ms. Van Anh shared.

According to Ms. Van Anh, grapes are imported all year round. However, during peak season, the quantity imported is extremely large and mainly red and green grapes (both seeded and seedless).

So, where are all the grapes that pass through Tan Thanh border gate and are brought to Vietnam consumed?

According to the reporter's records at Long Bien wholesale market (Hanoi) - the largest trading place for Chinese fruits in the North, Chinese grapes are everywhere, loaded onto large trucks. Meanwhile, small traders are taking advantage of the opportunity to "buy goods" with each person taking an average of 4-8 boxes.

However, after being loaded onto motorbikes and carts to be taken through the gate of Long Bien market to the selling location, all the Chinese grapes immediately turned into Ninh Thuan grapes, then high-quality American grapes.

Surveying the routes of Ho Tung Mau, Giai Phong, Nguyen Xien, Khuat Duy Tien,... it is not difficult to see motorbikes with two baskets full of grapes, along with huge billboards with the words "Nho Ninh Thuan is sweet".

The price of grapes is only 30,000-40,000 VND/kg depending on the type and time. Even at peak times, grapes cost only 20,000-25,000 VND/kg. At fruit stalls in the traditional market, you can only see Ninh Thuan grapes priced at 50,000-60,000 VND/kg of good quality grapes, or American grapes priced at 150,000 VND/kg. There is absolutely no store or street vendor that admits that they are selling Chinese grapes.

Specifically, on Ho Tung Mau street, after asking to buy ripe green grapes and tasting them, the reporter was invited by the shop owner named Lien: "These are my Ninh Thuan grapes, only 35,000 VND/kg, they are so sweet that you can't stop eating them."

This shop owner also confirmed: "I guarantee that these are 100% Ninh Thuan grapes because the green grapes I sell have seeds, while Chinese grapes do not have seeds."

Meanwhile, Mr. Le Thanh Tung, a wholesaler of Chinese grapes at Long Bien wholesale market, said that every day he sells green and red Chinese grapes to retailers. Each day, he sells up to 1.5-2 tons. There are days when the imported grapes are not enough for small retailers to buy and sell.

At this Long Bien market, there are about a dozen wholesale suppliers like him with similar quantities.

How to identify Chinese grapes

According to Mr. Tung, people have been afraid of Chinese fruits, including grapes, for many years now. Therefore, Chinese grapes are often labeled by traders as "Ninh Thuan grapes" or American grapes to deceive people, making the goods easier to sell.

However, it is possible to learn how to distinguish between Chinese grapes, Ninh Thuan grapes and American grapes.

Ninh Thuan Grapes:

There are two types of Ninh Thuan grapes commonly sold: green grapes and red grapes. The most recognizable feature of Ninh Thuan red grapes is the tight, dense bunch of grapes, with no visible stems inside. Picking up the bunch of grapes, you will feel the firmness.

Ninh Thuan red grapes are spherical, about the size of a thumb, with thin skin. When eaten, the grapes are slightly sour but very crunchy, with 2-3 seeds per fruit. The price is usually around 60,000-90,000 VND/kg, depending on the type.

Ninh Thuan green grapes have thick skin with light yellow-green color, have seeds, clear flesh, slightly soft, rich sweet taste, when not ripe enough will have a slightly sour taste. Grape weight from 200-500g/bunch, also tight fruit, press with hand to feel firm, not mushy.

American grapes:

American grapes, including black grapes, seedless green grapes, and witch's finger grapes, are considered one of the high-end imported fruits and are a favorite of many families. However, the price and appearance of American grapes are not much different from those imported from China, so many people have had to spend real money to buy fake goods with quality that is not guaranteed to be safe for health.

Imported American black grapes grade I

When cut open, American grapes look very firm and seedless (left), while Chinese red grapes have many seeds and are quite hollow, and feel very mushy when squeezed (right).

To distinguish American grapes from Chinese grapes, the only way is to taste them because the appearance of these two types is extremely similar, the fruits are both large. With American grapes, they are very crispy, sweet, and the flesh is firm.

Chinese grapes:

Like Ninh Thuan grapes, Chinese grapes include two main types: green grapes and red grapes.

Specifically: with red grapes, the fruit is twice as big as Ninh Thuan grapes, light red, sweet taste. The grapes on a bunch are separate, not close together, when picked up, it is easy to see the stem inside (completely different from Ninh Thuan grapes); the bunch is very big, usually weighs from 0.5-0.7kg/bunch. When eaten, you will see seeds inside the fruit, but only 1-2 seeds/fruit.

Image: Distinguishing Vietnamese Ninh Thuan grapes and Chinese grapes

As for Chinese green grapes, the fruit is also as big as the tip of a thumb, but is scattered, not as dense as Ninh Thuan green grapes. When eaten, Chinese green grapes have a sweet taste, not sour, and the flesh inside is soft.

Consumers who buy green grapes often distinguish by tasting them. If there are seeds, they are Ninh Thuan grapes, if there are no seeds, they are Chinese grapes. However, Mr. Le Thanh Tung said that this experience is not correct. Because, there are currently two types of Chinese green grapes, including: one type is seedless, the other type has seeds. Therefore, if you see Ninh Thuan grapes priced at 40,000 VND/kg or less, they are definitely Chinese grapes, even if they have seeds.

According to Vietnamnet