Chilean cherries have been gaining increasing popularity among Chinese consumers and are seen as one of the star products in trade between the two countries, with crate-loads of the cherished cherries continuing to arrive at Chinese ports to meet the rising demand.
During the current peak season, a staggering total of more than 92 percent of all Chilean cherries are being exported to China, as this small fruit from the other side of the Pacific Ocean is making waves on the massive Chinese market.
Customs statistics indicate that China imported 18.39 trillion yuan (about 2.6 trillion U.S. dollars) worth of goods in 2024, an increase of 2.3 percent, highlighting how the country's high-level opening-up continues to offer huge opportunities to its global trading partners.
Demand has also been picking up across China in the run up to the Spring Festival -- the country's largest annual celebration -- with imports of consumer goods exceeding 160 billion yuan in December 2024, the highest figure for nearly 21 months.
This trend is also good news for Chile, which counts China as its biggest trading partner, its top export destination, and its leading source of imports.
Chilean cherries are becoming one of the most sought-after products and are increasingly favored by Chinese consumers, with the South American country's cherry harvest coinciding with the upcoming Spring Festival, creating near-perfect trade conditions. The approach of the annual festival, which centers around the Chinese New Year and this year lands on Jan. 29, is also fueling an upsurge in orders.
The Nansha Port in Guangzhou City of south China's Guangdong Province witnessed the arrival of more than 1,000 containers packed with 20,000 tons of Chilean cherries on Saturday. This marked the largest single shipment of cherries imported to the port since the start of the 2024-2025 harvest season.
"Nearly 60 percent of these cherries will be sold locally in Guangzhou, and the rest will be distributed to other cities around the country, such as Beijing, Shanghai and Dongguan. As the volume of imported cherries gradually increases, prices will become more affordable," said the head of a foreign trade company.
Owing to the demand, 12 of these 'express' ships loaded with a total of 170,000 tons of cherries are expected to arrive at Nansha Port during the current peak season, accounting for about 30 percent of China's total cherry imports, and making the port the largest domestic import destination for cherries for three consecutive years.
While the fresh produce is already being better preserved thanks to advancements made in China's cold chain logistics sector, which refers to the storage and transportation of temperature-sensitive goods, officials at the Nansha Port say they are also taking steps to ensure the coveted fruits can pass through customs even quicker, ensuring they reach their intended destinations in the best possible state.
"In order to preserve the freshness and quality of newly-picked fruits such as Chilean cherries, we have learned about companies' demands in advance, guided them to make good use of facilitation measures such as 'conditional picking-up and departure,' and have promoted the immediate inspection of goods upon arrival and quicker clearance," said Hu Jingyou, a local customs official.
China's imports continued to expand last year, meeting domestic production needs while enriching people's consumption choices with a broader range of goods.
Data shows that China's industrial production rose steadily in 2024, driving the import value of electronic components and semiconductor manufacturing equipment to increase by over 10 percent and 21 percent respectively, while computer parts were up by a significant 62.6 percent. Meanwhile, imports of iron ore, natural gas and coal rose by around 5 percent, 10 percent and over 14 percent, respectively.
During the same period, the import demand for many general consumer goods in China remained relatively strong, with the import volume of clothing, fruit, and wine growing by 5.6 percent, 8.6 percent, 38.8 percent, respectively.
An analyst said these figures show the strong appetite which exists among Chinese consumers for imported goods and is also reflective of the country's commitment to opening-up.
"While continuously expanding exports, China's import trade has also been growing steadily. As the world's largest manufacturing country, China has a strong demand for related raw materials, intermediate products and equipment, which directly drives the trade and economic growth of relevant countries. At the same time, as one of the world's largest markets, Chinese residents' desire and ability to consume imported goods are also continuously improving. In recent years, China has also continuously reduced import tariffs on consumer goods, expanded market access to other countries, and shared China's economic development opportunities," said Tu Xinquan, dean of the China Institute for WTO Studies at the University of International Business and Economics.
Imports of Chilean cherries soar as fruit wins favor among Chinese consumers
Imports of Chilean cherries soar as fruit wins favor among Chinese consumers
