Experts expect the production in China of apples, table grapes, and pears to grow to 45 million tonnes, 19.6 MMT, and 13.5 MMT respectively during MY 2023/24. Imports of apple will likely decrease by 20 % due to decreased supplies and rising prices in exporting nations that are major. The imports of table grapes will drop by 30 percent. This will be replaced by higher production levels and the most sought-after varieties in China. In spite of China’s small import volumes Pear imports are expected to rise by 20 percent due to the increasing consumer demand.

The apple area is expected to decrease further down to 1.94 million hectares by MY 2023/24, down from the previously revised estimation of 1.96 acres in MY 2022/23 due to the tightened policies for the use of farms and the replacing less productive trees. The policy of national food security prohibits planting fruits on farms. In the end, areas of fruit production have decreased across Hebei, Henan, Shanxi Hebei, Shanxi, Henan and Shandong from 2021 onwards.

In the northwestern provinces like Shaanxi and Gansu Local governments help farmers to improve their orchards, and to replace the old apple trees by planting new ones. The general rule is that apple farmers tend to increase the amount of apple trees planted in the traditional areas of production particularly those on the Loess Plateau of northwest China as well as the provinces around Bohai Bay, rather than expanding the area. But the number of apple plantations are growing across Xinjiang as well as the southwest highlands, mostly located in Yunnan as well as Sichuan provinces.

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Source: apps.fas.usda.gov