新西兰车厘子中国热销 果园上空现直升机'护果'

New Zealand cherry producers are flying helicopters low over their orchards to dry off raindrops and protect thousands of tons of their product headed to Asia to feed rapidly growing demand from Chinese people.

为满足中国人民迅速增长的需求，新西兰车厘子种植者正驾驶直升机在果园上空低空飞行，将准备出口至亚洲的数千吨车厘子上的雨滴吹干以保护果实。

Growers in Central Otago are paying thousands of dollars an hour to fly helicopters over trees to stop rainfall from cracking fruit.

中奥塔哥地区的果农正在支付每小时数千美元的费用，驾驶直升机在果林上空飞行，阻止雨水破坏果实。

To ensure the good quality sought by Asian buyers, the choppers have been flying just one meter above the trees, operating like fans to blow away moisture left by recent rain.

为了确保亚洲买家追求的高品质，直升机刚好在果树上方1米的高度飞行，像风扇一样将近期雨水残留的水分吹干。

The Chinese mainland has grown to become the second largest destination for New Zealand cherries after Taiwan in the past seven years.

过去7年间，中国大陆逐渐成为新西兰车厘子的第二大出口地，仅次于中国台湾。

Exports are expected to grow to around NZ$50m this season, according to Tim Jones, chairman of Summerfruit NZ, which represents growers.

据代表果农的新西兰夏季水果行业协会主席蒂姆·琼斯介绍，本季新西兰车厘子出口额预计增至约5000万新西兰元。

Exporters and growers said they received constant requests for as much as fruit they could grow during Chinese New Year.

出口商和果农均表示，中国新年期间，他们接到了源源不断的订单，供不应求。

"The demand is phenomenal," said Tracey Burns, who handles international cherry sales at produce exporter Freshmax.

在产品出口商Freshmax负责车厘子国际销售的特蕾西·伯恩斯说道：“需求真的非常惊人。”