The overall consumption of fresh fruit in China

The overall consumption of fresh fruit in China is increasing as people's income rises, but citrus consumption is unlikely to see marked growth. This is reflected by the citrus prices at wholesale markets and wet markets where most citrus products are traded. China's per capita consumption of citrus is reported at 12 kilograms. Unlike deciduous fruit such as apples, citrus cannot be stored for a long time without modern storage facilities and post-harvest treatment, so most locally produced citrus is consumed between October and February. On the other hand, with the increasing number of supermarkets in urban areas, more people are buying produce, including citrus there because of concerns over food safety. In fact, the best citrus is sold in supermarkets in big cities like Beijing and Shanghai, not shipped overseas. Good quality fruits are priced much higher than ordinary ones, but the percentage of quality fruit is relatively low and still in short supply.