China's marketplace is increasingly becoming a hub for premium fruits from around the globe, including New Zealand kiwifruit, Spanish persimmons, and Chilean cherries. This influx is attributed to the expansion of China's international trade and economic cooperation, offering local consumers a diverse selection of fresh options. The integration of efficient customs clearance procedures has further bolstered the import of these fruits into China.
Notably, New Zealand's Zespri kiwifruit has recorded a 40 percent increase in sales to China, solidifying its status as the largest market for kiwifruit globally, with a 25 percent share in worldwide sales. This growth is underpinned by the Chinese consumers' escalating demand for high-quality and nutritious fruits, with Zespri kiwifruit achieving a household penetration rate of about 20 percent in China.
The trend towards premium fruits is evident with the popularity of terms like "cherry freedom" and "durian freedom" on social media, reflecting the rising consumer expectations and satisfaction with imported fruits. According to the China Chamber of Commerce of Import & Export of Foodstuffs, Native Produce & Animal By-Products (CFNA), from January to November, the import value of fresh cherries from Chile surpassed $2.8 billion, marking a 26 percent increase year-on-year. Furthermore, the compound annual growth rate of China's fruit imports was 15 percent between 2014 and 2023, with durians, cherries, mangosteens, and kiwis as the leading categories of mid-to-high-end fruit imports.
In addition to imports, collaborations between Chinese importers and foreign exporters are enhancing the fruit industry's supply chain, ensuring a safer and more diverse consumption environment. For instance, Avocados Australia has partnered with Yunnan Province to boost the technical expertise of Chinese avocado growers, aiming for improved economic outcomes and promoting shared prosperity.
Goodfarmer Fruit, a leading fruit import company in China, has invested in its distribution networks to optimize customer service, offering a wide range of premium fruit varieties to cater to the domestic market's evolving tastes. The company's assortment includes Mexican organic bananas, Philippine Black Diamond pineapples, and Thai frozen mini durians, with a focus on imports from Southeast Asia, New Zealand, and Chile.
As China's demand for high-quality imported fruits grows, the variety of fruits approved for entry into the country continues to expand, reflecting a 2.9 percent year-on-year increase in fruit imports, totaling $17.14 billion in the first 11 months of the previous year.
Source: Global Times