Red Beauty, Aiyuan 38, See You in Spring – customers are spoilt for choice
JOHOR BARU: Red Beauty, Sweet Heart, Tiger Tangerine – no, these are not the names of folk heroes but the varieties of mandarin oranges available this Chinese New Year.
Including other varieties with auspicious names such as See You in Spring and Sugar Tangerine, customers are spoilt for choice as there are more than 10 varieties of mandarin oranges in various sizes, tastes and textures this festive season.
Fruit seller Diong Ong Ham, 51, said his customers were pleased to find many new types of mandarin oranges this year.
He said some of the oranges had Japanese and Taiwanese origins and were planted and harvested in China.
“People are usually more familiar with common varieties such as Ponkan and Lokam.
“Varieties such as Red Beauty, which has a jelly-like texture when eaten cold, and Papagan, which has a thin skin that can be peeled easily, are highly popular this year,” he said.
He said another variety called Aiyuan 38, which originates from Japan, was also sought after by customers for its juicy and crisp texture.
He said customers’ purchasing power also increased this year.
“Sales have gone up by about 40% compared to last year.
“I think it is partly because of the creative packaging the mandarin oranges come with, which also make them special as gifts for loved ones,” he said.
Apart from mandarin oranges, other fruits that are popular for the festive season are cherries, apples printed with auspicious words and Japanese pears.
Housewife Jenny Yap, 44, said it has been fun for her and her two children to sample the various types of mandarin oranges before making their decision.
“I bought three boxes of Tiger Tangerines for RM100 because we enjoyed the sweetness of the fruit.
“It is also a new variety that we have never tried before,” she said, adding that she bought a box of apples for RM68 to be used as prayer offerings on the eve of Chinese New Year.
Sales executive Alia Shamsuddin, 30, was surprised to see the wide variety of oranges while shopping for corporate gifts.
“I only know Yong Chun mandarin oranges, which are bigger, because my employer gave out boxes of them as corporate gifts last year.
“This time round, the Red Beauty is all the craze so we have decided to purchase them as gifts to our clients,” she said.
The Year of the Snake begins on Wednesday.
