Fruit Markets in the People’s Republic of China

The People’s Republic of China, with a population of 1.4 billion, is one of the most important and dynamic economies of the 21st century. With a gross domestic product of more than US$19 trillion and an average annual growth of 7%, China currently represents the largest economy in the world. Interestingly enough, in spite of its impressive macroeconomic profile, China is not considered a developed country, but rather a developing nation. This fact is reflected in China’s economic breakdown, which, contrary to developed economies, is not overwhelmingly dominated by the services industry. In fact, the agriculture industry represents approximately 9% of the national economy, while the manufacturing industry represents 41%. The service industry accounts for the other 50% of the overall economy. Meanwhile, it is important to mention that large portions of China’s population, almost half, still live in rural settings. Therefore, the agriculture industry accounts for approximately one-third of the national labor force.

Because of its economic and demographic boom, China has become a major producer and trader of agricultural goods. After decades of food insecurity during the 20th century, the last two decades have seen the Chinese government aggressively pursuing the development of national agriculture in order to achieve food security. Recently, China became the world’s largest agricultural producer in terms of the gross value of its output. This article explores the status of fruit markets in China.

Fruit Markets in the People’s Republic of China

For the 2016/17 season, China’s apple output is expected to reach 43.5 million metric tons, its pear output 19.3 million, and the grape output 10.2 million metric tons. All three amounts represent increases from previous years, which have been consistent for over a decade. Both apple and pear production in China is located towards the eastern and central regions of the country, particularly those provinces around the Bohai Sea. The amount of land devoted to pear production in the country is estimated at more than 1 million hectares. Similarly, during 2016/17, apple orchards account for approximately 2.3 million hectares. When it comes to grapes, there are over 800.000 hectares of land devoted to grape cultivation throughout China. Because a cool and elevated terrain is preferable in order to optimize grape yields, most of China’s grape production takes place in the westernmost autonomous region of Xinjiang.

Regarding domestic consumption, apples are the most popular fruit within China, particularly the Fuji variety, which dominates more than two-thirds of the national production. Meanwhile, varieties such as Qinguan and Gala account for the remainder of the output. In terms of trade, Grapes are amongst the most imported fruits in China and total purchases from the international market are expected to reach up to 300.000 metric tons during 2016/17. On the other hand, China exports significant amounts of pears and apples, mostly to its Asian neighbors. For the 2016/17, Chinese apple exports should total 1.5 million metric tons, while pear exports are expected to almost reach 500.000 metric tons.

(Read more about Weather, Agriculture & Niche Products in Asia)