China’s fruit imports fall while exports rise

China’s fruit imports were down 8% in the first half of 2020, according to data released by the China Chamber of Commerce. Total fruit imports reached 3.64 million tons. However, the value of fruit imports rose 14% to US$6.33 billion, due in large part to escalating shipping costs during the pandemic. Meanwhile, China’s fruit exports for the first six months of the year were up 25% to 1.35 million tons (US$1.98 billion). The top ten fruit categories by import value accounted for 84% of the total value of imports. The main imported product was fresh durian ($1.5 billion, +68%), followed by fresh cherries ($1.23 billion, +34%), fresh grapes ($610 million, −2%), bananas ($520 million, −15%), mangosteens ($450 million, −12%), fresh dragon fruit ($360 million, +85%), fresh longans ($200 million, −6%), fresh kiwifruit ($180 million, +0%), oranges ($150 million, −27%) and plums ($140 million, −24%).

The  top-ten exporters of fruit to China in the first half of 2020 were Thailand, Chile, Vietnam, the Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, Peru, Ecuador, Indonesia and Egypt.

In the first six months of 2020, China imported 946,000 tons of bananas. The main countries of origin were the Philippines (431,000 tons, −24%), Vietnam (197,000 tons, +21%) and Ecuador (192,000 tons, −12%), with imports from these three countries accounting for 87% of total banana imports.