It seems that China's fruit exports may have finally reached saturation in most foreign markets. Although the overall export of fruits has increased slightly from 385,295 tons in the same period in 2005 to 409,455 tons, the export of most canned fruits in 2006 has stabilized or declined slightly.

 

One of the varieties that mark this trend is canned apricot, whose export level has been greatly boosted by Russia. In the first three quarters of 2006, Russia increased its imports of canned apricots from China by as much as 30%, from 4,745 tons in the same period in 2005 to 6,720 tons. Estonia started small-scale purchasing in 2005 and is now the third largest importer of canned apricots from China.

 

However, apricot is China's smallest canned fruit export variety, although exports have increased considerably, but the overall contribution of canned fruit exports is very little. The export situation of other canned fruits has improved, while the yield of other main suppliers is poor.

 

The largest export of canned fruits and canned oranges in China increased to 23000 tons in 1-9 months in 2006. Spain, the second largest exporter of oranges in the world, has a poor harvest of orange in 2005/06.

 

Quota impact

 

It is doubtful whether the trend of China's fruit exports will continue until 2007. In 2006, the harvest of Spanish oranges improved. The introduction of a 301 euro per ton quota on Chinese citrus has made the product more expensive for European importers.

 

The export of canned peaches in China increased from 55765 tons in the same period in 2005 to 62260 tons. In Greece, the peach harvest is not good enough. The peach harvest in the United States is affected by the poor climate and is seldom available for export, so China's exports have increased.

 

In particular, New Zealand has doubled its peach imports from China, and South Korea's imports from China have also increased significantly, from 1,820 tons in January-September 2005 to 2,725 tons in the same period in 2006. In addition to other varieties of canned food, Russia has imported canned peaches and canned apricots from China.

 

There is a canned fruit, pineapple from China, which has lost its appeal in Russia. By September 2006, exports to Russia had fallen to 1,550 tons, perhaps because of cheaper products from Thailand.

 

Thailand increased its imports of canned pears from China, from 210 tons in the same period in 2005 to 1975 tons, maintaining an upward trend. On the contrary, however, imports continued to decline in the European market, particularly in Germany, with canned pears imported from China falling by more than half from 2006 to September.

 

Canned mixed fruit in China, despite its popularity in the United States and steady demand in Canada, has also begun to decline in exports. Japan reduced imports by 955 tons, compared with 6725 tons in 1-9 months in 2005.