Kiwifruit, a fruit that sounds familiar now, has a much longer history than most people think.
As early as more than 2,000 years ago, the ancient Chinese people had discovered this peculiar fruit that resembled pears and was nearly peach in color. The literati of the time mentioned this plant called "kiwifruit" in their literature, because it was very popular with macaques.
However, due to the limited cultivation area, the Chinese only eat it as a niche wild fruit.
It wasn't until the beginning of the 20th century that things changed. A female teacher from faraway New Zealand discovered what she saw as a very novel fruit and brought its seeds back to her hometown.
After six years of hard work, the New Zealanders have finally achieved great results – this exotic plant not only grows locally, but also produces unusually fat and juicy fruits.
New Zealanders loved the newly-bred big-fruited kiwi and renamed it "Kiwi" after a very similar look to one of their country's birds. The new name took root as the fruit spread widely in New Zealand.
The beginning of a legend has begun.
In the 70s of the last century, this "Kiwi" from New Zealand finally came back to its homeland - China. At first, people were curious about this "kiwifruit" with a unique shape and flavor, but they soon realized that this is not a kiwifruit native to China, but it has been improved and cultivated by New Zealanders, and the quality has been greatly improved.
The Chinese were pleasantly surprised when they tasted the delicious taste of this new kiwifruit. Although it is not as large as apples, it is full of aroma, juicy and soft and glutinous, and it is really too delicious! It didn't take long for kiwifruit to be widely cultivated all over China, and it quickly occupied the fruit market and was deeply loved by consumers.
In the 80s, the price of kiwifruit skyrocketed and became an extremely sought-after high-end fruit. It has even replaced the previous "king of fruits" - lychee and become a new consumption hotspot.
Wealthy people always have kiwi fruit in their homes, and they also deliberately select the best varieties of kiwi when entertaining guests. For a time, kiwi became a symbol of wealth and decency, and was the most ideal fruit in people's mouths.
However, Kiwi's glory days didn't last long. As the scale of its cultivation continues to expand, some unsustainable commercial practices are gradually exposing the problem.
In order to make more profits, some traders began to pick large quantities of the fruit before it was ripe and put it on the market as quickly as possible. These prematurely picked kiwifruit have a very poor taste, sour and unpalatable.
In order to make it look bigger and more beautiful, chemical fertilizers and fruit enlargers are abused during the growth process, which leads to an increase in the harmful substances contained in kiwifruit.
With the exposure of these problems, many consumers have found that kiwifruit is not as delicious and juicy as before, but difficult to swallow. Some people buy kiwifruit that goes bad and rots even after a few days.
The consumer market for kiwifruit began to shrink.
Faced with this situation, many growers and traders feel helpless. They are also aware that the adoption of improper business practices has seriously damaged the reputation of this fruit.
But the market is so competitive that they have to continue to do so to make ends meet. It becomes a vicious circle.
First of all, the relevant government departments must resolutely strengthen supervision, formulate mandatory regulations such as picking season and quality standards, and prohibit traders from purchasing unripe green peaches.
At the same time, scientific research institutions should be vigorously supported to carry out the improvement of kiwifruit varieties and breed new strains with high yield and excellent flavor.
On the other hand, growers and businesses should also consciously change their business thinking and not only focus on maximizing short-term profits. They need to pay attention to long-term development, and let consumers really eat ripe and delicious kiwifruit by improving the level of orchard management, strictly controlling the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and paying attention to the harvest period.
Of course, rebuilding the credibility of an industry requires a concerted effort by all parties. Consumers should also buy rationally and choose honest brands and merchants. Let us join hands to light up this "pomegranate star" from Middle-earth once again with warmth and wisdom.
Looking at the pale yellow kiwi fruit in my hand, I can't help but think of its glorious epic - it was one of the sweetest fruits in my childhood memory, a "fruit king" that can arouse countless yearnings.
However, time has changed, and this is not what it used to be. Perhaps driven by commercial interests, this fruit from the land of China has gradually lost its natural fragrance. Thinking of the sour kiwifruit on the market now, I can't help but sigh that things are wrong and flowers are withered.
But I still have hope for kiwis. Because I know that it was so good, and it still hides that beauty even today. As long as we can deal with it again responsibly and appropriately, this beauty will surely bloom again.
Let's join hands to regain this pastoral land from our homeland and re-taste the blessing bags that belong to this land. I firmly believe that kiwifruit will return to its peak glory in the near future.