HAIKOU /China/, March 16. /TASS/. Sanya on the southern coast of China's Hainan Province began exporting wax apples grown on the island to Canada for the first time. This was reported by the Sanya Daily newspaper.
The first two shipments were supplied by farms in the Yazhou district, the newspaper noted. All of the fruit grown there is said to meet high standards for agricultural products exported to other countries. Wax apples are to be delivered to Vancouver once a week. Each shipment will consist of 150 cases.
According to Nanlu Shiye CEO Xing Jun, whose company grows wax apples for Canada, the product has its benefits. Thanks to high quality natural fertilizers, Sanya fruits are "sweeter, more aromatic and more delicate." Notably, the fertilization uses milk, chicken eggs, soybean meal, fish bones and shrimp shells.
The seeds of wax apples were brought to Sanya from Taiwan and were first planted in 2000. Five years later, the harvest of these fruits reached an industrial scale. Initially three varieties were bred in the city, but later, through breeding, a fourth variety was obtained, which is exported to Canada.
The wax apple is endemic to Southeast Asia. Its fruits can be eaten even unripe, sprinkled with salt. They are used in the preparation of sauces, juices, and jams.