2018 China Fruit Import Statistics Released

The following Produce Report analysis of China’s fruit import statistics is based on data collected from the China Customs. In 2018, China imported around 4.86 million tons of fruit, with a value of USD 6.95 billion—year-on-year (YOY) increases of 25.91% and 36.48%, respectively. Although economic growth has slowed in China, the import data show that it remains one of the most dynamic markets for fresh fruit.

The top five fruit suppliers to China in 2018 by export value were Chile ($1.68 billion, up 68.40% YOY), Thailand ($1.67 billion, up 66.95% YOY), the Philippines ($0.73 billion, up 41.95% YOY), Vietnam ($0.72 billion, up 12.32% YOY) and New Zealand ($0.44 billion, up 25.14% YOY). As in 2017, it was still Chile and Thailand in close competition for the top position—accounting for 24.23% and 23.93% of the total import value respectively.

Hampered by the trade conflict between the world’s two largest economies, imports of US fruit to China came in at USD 269 million, shrinking by 31.09% compared to the previous year. The United States’ share in China’s imported fruit market also fell drastically from 7.68% in 2017 to 3.88% in 2018.

Vietnam (1.23 million tons, up 9.72% YOY) remained the top exporter of fruit to China by volume in 2018, followed by the Philippines (1.16 million tons, up 37.61% YOY), Thailand (0.77 million tons, up 49.55% YOY), Chile (0.39 million tons, up 52.43% YOY) and Ecuador (0.24 million tons, up 44.42% YOY). Almost half of China’s imported fruit supply in 2018 derived from Vietnam and the Philippines, accounting for 25.32% and 23.92% of China’s total fruit import volume respectively.

From the perspective of fruit categories, the top five by value were fresh cherries ($1.30 billion, up 69.42% YOY), fresh durians ($1.10 billion, up 98.35 YOY), bananas ($0.90 billion, up 54.84% YOY), fresh grapes ($0.59 billion, down 0.31% YOY) and fresh oranges ($0.44 billion, up 14.39% YOY). The top five categories by volume were bananas (1.54 million tons, up 48.65% YOY), fresh durians (0.43 million tons, up 92.50% YOY), fresh oranges (0.39 million tons, up 8.96% YOY), fresh grapes (0.23 million tons, down 0.97% YOY) and fresh watermelons (0.22 million tons, up 16.79% YOY).

Produce Report’s in-depth trend analyses of key fruit categories imported into China in 2018 will also be coming soon. Please check back soon or subscribe to our email newsletter.
 

Image Source: MZMC