Chilean fruit sales record high in Chinese spring festival
According to the Chile-China free trade agreement, Chilean fresh fruits will benefit from zero tariffs as of 2015. Prior to the agreement, Chilean cherries cost over two hundred yuan per kilo while Chilean blueberry costs around 800 yuan per kilo. Thanks to this zero tariff agreement, the price declined significantly, which brings a substantial increase in imports.
At present, China has become Chile's largest exporter of cherries and blueberries in the Asian market. According to official statistics, the Chilean cherry exports to China accounted for 80% of its total cherry production in 2015. Domestic consumers can enjoy fresh Chilean cherries and blueberries from the Southern Hemisphere at a better cost price.
The president of the Chilean Fruit Exporters Association Ronald Bowen said that cherries and blueberries are very important export fruits in Chile, and its growth and harvest time concentrates mainly from November to the end of February of the following year, therefore it can serve just as a "good Spring Festival gift "to the increasingly affluent Chinese consumers.
Source: Xinhua News Agency