HANOI: The first batch of fresh Cat Chu mangoes from Viet Nam hit the shelves at an Aeon supermarket in Chiba prefecture, Japan on Saturday. According to Trade Counselor to Japan Nguyen Trung Dung, about 3.5 tonnes of Cat Chu mangoes were exported to Japan in the first shipment. The mangoes are scheduled to go on sale at more than 200 Aeon grocery stores throughout Japan and sell for JPY429 to JPY645 (US$3.48 to $5.24) each.
More than 80 tonnes of fresh mangoes will be shipped to the island country by air and sea by the end of 2015. Mangoes are loved by many Japanese people, but they are very expensive when grown in Japan, and can cost from JPY5,000 to JPY10,000 ($40.6-$81.2) each, a representative from Aeon said, adding that Cat Chu mangoes will enjoy good sales thanks to their affordable price. In addition to mangoes, red-fleshed dragon fruit will make its way to Japan.
