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Course of Development of Pearl Industry in China
Certain Aspects on the Research of Freshwater Pearl Market
Course of Development of Pearl Industry in China
In china, lakes and rivers crisscross and intertwine each other, generating broad and roomy water areas. When streams pour into plains, they bring the water with rich minerals and various metallic elements.
Apart from rich valuable nutrients and high density of dissolved oxygen, water body is alternated frequently through drainage. With suitable water depth, water here seems to be exceptionally gifted for pearl cultivation. China started here pearl cultivation industry in 60's. At that time, oyster Cristaria Plicara was used. Pearl culturists raised a large amount of oysters finally yielded more pearls to export.
Subsequently, oyster Hypriopsis Cumingii was pearl cultivations over China sine 1985. With a breakthrough in reproduction technique, pearl quality became apparently soon due to some oyster diseases. From 1990 onwards, technique of insertion became popular because the pearl quality had been enhanced extent. Oyster Hypriopsis Cumingii attained its status again.
Insertion technique becomes since 1990 that helps to improve pearl quality a lot. Triangle oyster is used for cultivating freshwater pearls widely. According to pearl culturists, there are three advantages:
| (i) |
For the cultivating procedure, the living rate is about 50%
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| (ii) |
The duration of cultivation can be over 4 to 6 years, twice longer than using the traditional cultivation method.
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| (iii) |
Quality of round Freshwater Pearls as well as South Sea pearls, while production is comparatively lower than regular half-drilled pearls for a rate of less than two out of one thousand. Therefore, high quality freshwater pearls are short in the market. |
Since 2000, the period of pearl cultivation has been becoming longer, due to water pollutions all over the world. The rate of death for pearls is considerably higher, with pearls raised to the limited in quantity. Thus, the freshwater pearls for bigger millimeter sizes in good quality are highly demanded in the market.
Certain Aspects on the Research of Freshwater Pearl Market
(1) Market
The product prices seemed to be stable at the beginning of 2004. However, owing to an increase of cost in the international raw materials, which increase production cost as well, the prices of pearls are tending to be higher in the near future. On the other hand, bigger millimeter and high quality freshwater pearls are acceptable by international consumers, they are surprised to find this kind of pearl at the sizes of 7mm-15mm. In consumption, some jewelers are convinced to use freshwater pearls to replace Akoya pearls and South Sea pearls, because their qualities are almost the same. Freshwater pearls are proved to be suitable gems for jewelers indeed, regarding their quality, quantity, size range, shape types, color choices and cost, and so on.
| (2) Room for Improvements |
| (i) |
Promotional Strategy: The good quality, non- nucleus freshwater pearls are considerably high in prices, with fascinating colors attracting more interests of the consumers. However, some pearls of inferior quality are lower in prices difference between South Sea pearls and Chinese freshwater pearls? The answer is due mainly to a lack of effective promotional campaign. Hence, in the near future, we have to innovate new promotional strategies to arouse public attention to establish an effective market for freshwater pearls.
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| (ii) |
Senses of Market Trend: Pearl Cultivation industry in China tends to become mature. Many pearl culturists and distributors have experienced prosperity and decline of freshwater pearl trade, which makes them realize the significance of balancing supply and demand. Therefore, part from market trends, they also understand market supply and demand.
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| (iii) |
Commercial competence: Also, those dealers of small-scale business know how to handle temporary price fall. Fortunately, pearl culturists and traders and able to keep up with each other closely, exchanging cultivation news and market information. Proceeding along the direction, with appropriate strategies of propaganda, price levels of Chinese freshwater pearls in the international market should be stabilized, and market share could be enlarged. The situation implies another boom in the sales of Chinese freshwater pearls in coming future. |
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