Japan grapefruit market

Grapefruit has a special position on a Japanese market with a tradition of low fruit consumption. Annual consumption per person was some 1.6 kg in 2005, making it the second largest import market in the world with shipments totalling a little more than 205 000 t. In spite of the attractiveness of the 120 million consumers with high incomes, Japan only uses a limited number of supplier countries as its market is one of the strictest. The problems encountered by Florida, an active exporter and the initiator of the market, led to a strong decrease in winter supplies. (Résumé d'auteur