Improvement of Citrus Quality in China

Citrus quality in China is improving as a result of wider adoption of standardized farming practices required for producing "wholesome food" and "green food" and enhanced management and financial input by farmers. Under government guidance, citrus farming is shifting from the earlier model of short trunk trees, dense plantation, and early bearing to focus more on both high production and quality. The drought conditions in citrus producing provinces like Jiangjin and Chongqing, however, resulted in smaller fruit sizes. In addition, post-harvest treatments (cleaning, grading, and waxing) have become a common practice. Industry sources indicate that more than 4,000 packing lines were built in the past 2-3 years in the major-producing provinces such as Hubei, Jiangxi, Hunan, and Guangxi. The largest packer in the citrus industry is building additional packinghouses and cold storages in Jiangxi and Guangdong in a bid to source more fruit for an extended supply season.