China’s Fruit Imports and Exports Both Up in First Half of 2021

Recently released data from the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Foodstuffs, Native Produce and Animal By-Products indicate that China’s fruit imports and exports both registered substantial year-on-year (YOY) growth in the first half of 2021. According to the newly published statistics, between January and June China imported 3.71 million tons of fruit worth $7.69 billion, corresponding to YOY increases of 2% and 21%, respectively. Meanwhile, China’s fruit exports in the first six months of 2021 stood at a volume of 1.43 million tons and a value of $2.29 billion, corresponding to YOY increases of 5.9% and 15.4%, respectively. It is worth noting that China’s fruit imports hit a record-high $10.26 billion in 2020, exceeding $10 billion for the first time in history. Considering that this year’s fruit imports by the end of June had already reached 75% of last year’s total import value, it is highly likely that 2021 will set a new record.

Imports

The five top-performing fruits in order of decreasing import value were fresh durians, cherries, bananas, table grapes and longans, which together accounted for 72% of the total import value. Durians retained the top spot with a volume of 476,000 tons and a value of $2.3 billion, representing significant YOY increases of 24% and 60%, respectively. Fresh cherries came in second with imports reaching 295,000 tons (+74% YOY) and $1.78 billion (+44% YOY); 98.6% of these imported cherries originated from Chile, corresponding to a YOY increase of 76.7% in terms of volume.

In third place, banana imports in the first six months of 2021 totaled 1.01 million tons (+6.8% YOY) and $560 million (+8% YOY), reversing the decreases witnessed last year. The Philippines remained the largest supplier of bananas to China with a market share of 39%, followed by Vietnam, Cambodia and Ecuador, which accounted for 27%, 20% and 11%, respectively, of China’s imported banana market.

Despite taking fourth place, imports of fresh table grapes decreased to 190,000 tons (−21.3% YOY) and $510 million (−15.9% YOY). With a market share of 41%, Chile remained China’s top table grape supplier. Other major suppliers included Australia, Peru and South Africa, which accounted for 27%, 24% and 5% of the market, respectively.

For longans, the import volume and value both displayed impressive jumps to 211,000 tons (+41.8% YOY) and $320 million (+59% YOY), respectively.

The top 11 fruit exporters to China in the first half of 2021 ranked in order of decreasing export value were Thailand ($3.24 billion, +43.7% YOY), Chile ($2.18 billion, +22.6% YOY), Vietnam ($520 million, −10.9% YOY), the Philippines ($310 million, +2.7% YOY), New Zealand ($250 million, +24.4% YOY), Australia ($210 million, −8.8% YOY), Peru ($190 million, +18.1% YOY), Cambodia ($120 million, +107.0% YOY), Egypt ($87 million, −15.5% YOY), the United States ($84 million, +3.7% YOY) and Indonesia ($83 million, −23.1% YOY).

Exports

China’s top exported fruit categories in the first half of 2021 remained similar to previous years. In order of decreasing value, these were citrus (including mandarins and satsuma oranges; 405,000 tons, +47% YOY or $670 million, +52% YOY), fresh apples (443,000 tons, +11% YOY or $620 million, +22% YOY), fresh pears (212,000 tons, −22% YOY or $270 million, −8% YOY), oranges (72,000 tons, +107% YOY or $130 million, +99.7% YOY) and fresh table grapes (39,000 tons, +1.9% YOY or $1 million, +9.5% YOY).

Southeast Asian markets still accounted for the majority of China’s fruit exports. The top seven destinations for China’s fruit exports ranked in order of decreasing value were Vietnam ($650 million, +18.2% YOY), Thailand ($300 million, +36.4% YOY), Indonesia ($220 million, +29.4% YOY), the Philippines ($210 million, +16.7% YOY), Hong Kong ($160 million, +23.1% YOY), Malaysia ($130 million, +0% YOY) and Myanmar ($100 million, −9.1% YOY).

Image: Pixabay

This article was translated from Chinese. Read the original article.