First Ever Shipment of Iranian Oranges Reaches China

On March 17, the first batch of fresh citrus fruit from Iran arrived in Shanghai by air. The consignment of 1,780 kilograms was received at Pudong International Airport and consisted mainly of navel oranges.

The shipment was promptly cleared by airport customs officials and the consignment was released the following day. The whole procedure took less than 15 hours, allowing the freshness of the imported fruit to be maintained. The citrus was subsequently distributed to the designated venues for its retail debut in China.

Iran dominates nut and fruit production in the Middle East and North Africa region. Walnuts, melons, citrus, kiwifruit, dates, cherries and pomegranates are among the country’s main horticultural crops. Annual citrus production in Iran amounts to approximately 5.5 million metric tons, placing the country in the top 10 globally. In 2020, Iran’s citrus exports yielded $15.2 million of revenue, with the key markets including Azerbaijan, Armenia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Kazakhstan.

Last year provided the first ever opportunity for Iranian fresh fruit to be exported to China. On Aug. 31, the General Administration of Customs of China granted market access to fresh Iranian oranges, mandarins and sweet lemons. In 2023, another fresh fruit item from Iran, this time apples, also gained market access, with the GACC publishing its official announcement on Feb. 21. According to Iranian Agriculture Minister Javad Sadatinejad, the country expects to export approximately 100,000 metric tons of apples to China during the initial phase. All Iranian fruits admitted to China must comply with the phytosanitary protocols previously agreed upon by the two countries.

Image: Shanghai Customs

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