China's cold-chain logistics sector sees steady growth in 2024

China's cold-chain logistics sector saw steady expansion in 2024, driven by the continuous release of consumer demand, industrial data showed Monday.

China's total demand for cold-chain logistics reached over 365 million tons in 2024, a year-on-year increase of 4.3 percent, according to the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing (CFLP).

The annual total revenue of cold chain logistics in 2024 logged 536.1 billion yuan (about 73.19 billion U.S. dollars), a year-on-year increase of 3.7 percent, according to the CFLP.

The sector was in a volatile development trend of moving forward under pressure, and was gradually stabilizing and recovering, according to a CFLP official.

"The diverse demands of consumers for fresh products and their need for immediate consumption have driven the development of the fresh cold-chain sector. Additionally, as consumers place greater emphasis on food safety, large-scale catering delivery has also seen significant growth," said Qin Yuming, secretary-general of the Cold Chain Logistics Committee of the CFLP.

Since the third quarter of 2024, driven by the catering industry and fresh food e-commerce, the overall growth rate of cold-chain logistics has rebounded. In 2024, the annual catering revenue was over 5.57 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 5.3 percent, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

In addition, the sector also showcased a clear green transformation trend. In 2024, the sales volume of new energy refrigerated trucks reached 21,368 units, a year-on-year increase of 350.8 percent; and the penetration rate of new energy refrigerated trucks was 33.9 percent, an increase of 25.2 percentage points year on year.

China's cold-chain logistics sector sees steady growth in 2024

China's coal production of enterprises above the designated size reached 4.83 billion tonnes in 2025, up 1.2 percent year on year and marking a new historical high, according to the China National Coal Association.

As the cornerstone of the country's energy security, coal output maintained steady growth throughout the year in 2025, providing strong support for stable energy supply.

Four major coal-producing regions -- Shanxi, Shaanxi, Inner Mongolia, and Xinjiang -- accounted for about 82 percent of national output in the past year, with their outbound shipments made up more than 95 percent of China's inter-provincial coal transfers, playing a critical role in ensuring reliable and stable coal supply nationwide.

Since the onset of winter, the demand for coal has climbed up as energy consumption for heating continues to increase. To cope with the seasonal surge, railway authorities across the country have optimized transport planning and dispatching to ensure smooth coal deliveries during the peak consumption period.

"China's national coal output has continued to show stable growth since winter began. In December alone, raw coal production of enterprises above the designated size reached 440 million tonnes, with average daily output of 14.1 million tonnes, remaining at a historical high. Coal production has increased steadily, while inventory levels have also stayed at a high level," said Zhang Hong, vice president of the China National Coal Association.

Industrial enterprises above designated size refer to those with an annual main business revenue of 20 million yuan (about 2.87 million U.S. dollars) or more.

China's 2025 coal production reaches 4.83 bln tonnes, up 1.2 pct