Among China’s imported produce, the avocado is a shining star, but concern regarding its ripeness has always been a barrier to increasing the fruit’s popularity. Although a common sight to consumers in the U.S. and Europe, ripe avocados are still a novelty to Chinese consumers.

　　In China, retailers prefer to carry green avocados, which have a longer shelflife, in order to avoid waste caused by overripe, rotten avocados. However, Chinese consumers are then forced to wait several days for these green avocados to ripen and reach their ideal consumable state. Consumers who eat avocados before they are ripe may be put off by their inferior taste and be reluctant to purchase avocados in the future, a situation in which the consumer, retailer and producer all lose out.