Chinese cherries imports will increase further
China
Friday 19 July 2019
FJ
China will import 190,000 tons of cherries (Photo: southchinamorningpost).
According to estimates, in China, despite the 23% increase in domestic cherry production, the volume of imports will increase further.
Chinese cherry production is estimated at 420,000 tonnes for the 2019/20 marketing year, an increase of 23% over the previous year. The areas dedicated to cherries are estimated at 150 000 hectares, that is approximately + 7% compared to the previous year. The increase in volumes is mainly due to the growing number of orchards entering production. But the lack of modern sorting and pre-cooling facilities makes it difficult for these local cherries to compete with imported cherries.
For the 2018/19 marketing year, China had imported 180,165 tonnes of cherries valued at $1.3 billion. For the year 2019/20 the volume imported should reach 190,000 tonnes.
Most imported cherries come from the southern hemisphere and arrive between November and February with a peak in January around the New Year's Chinese calendar. Those of the northern hemisphere arrive from June to September, from the United States, Canada, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkey.
source : gain fas usda gov