Cherries imported from Chile on sale at a local market in Yichang, Central China’s Hubei Province Photo: CFP

 
China's imported cherry sales are expected to grow steadily this year due to higher production and increasing demands despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Foreign merchants at the fourth China International Import Expo (CIIE) told the Global Times on Monday that they are quite optimistic over the market.

China's imported cherry market received a blow after reports of coronavirus contamination last year. The topic of the cheaper prices making "cherry freedom" has seen heated discussion among Chinese netizens.

The fruit merchants are still confident in the growing demands of Chinese consumers. The domestic cherry market is mainly dominated by products from Chile. Chile's main exporter Garces Fruit has signed two memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with Chinese partners at the fourth CIIE in Shanghai. One is with China Eastern Airlines, with the purchasing agreement value up to $230 million. 

"During winter in China, one in every 10 cherries comes from our company," Hernan Garces Gazmuri, CEO of Garces Fruit China Branch, told the Global Times on Monday. The company accounts for 15 percent of China's cherry market, and exported over 1,400 containers during the cherry harvest season from 2020 to 2021, according to the company's head.

In 2020, a total of 18,000 containers of cherries were exported from Chile to China, while this year it is expected to reach over 20,000 containers, Li Xingping, vice general manager of Shanghai-based Ivcsun, also one of the largest distributors of Garces Fruit in China, told the Global Times on Monday.

Currently, the wholesale price of imported cherries is relatively high due to the expensive transportation cost by air, according to Li. The wholesale price ranges from 140 yuan ($21.8) to over 200 yuan per kilogram based on the quality, Li said. 

However, looking at the long term, the retail price of imported cherries in China is expected to stay at around 60 to 80 yuan per kilogram, Li said. 

The first batch of cherries imported from Chile arrived in China in October by air, and will mainly be sold in Shanghai and Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong Province. 

Along with Chilean cherries, cherries from other regions are also seeking opportunities in China. Normally each January is the cherry picking time in our Australian farms, and the fruit will be transported into China by air during Chinese Spring Festival, Wang Fang, director of procurement of Dasheng vegetable and fruit purchasing center, Dashang Group, told the Global Times on Monday. Dalian-based?Dasheng is one of the largest retail?chain?groups in China.

"The production from our two farms in Australia this year is expected to reach 300 tons, and about 50 tons of cherries are expected to export into China," Wang said.

The company is "very optimistic toward the Chinese market this year," and they have pre-arranged sales plans in major fruits market across the country in case of the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic.