Global foods find way to Chinese dinner tables

After rounds of negotiations, consultations, and procurement agreements, China's import of agro- products is expanding. From German fresh apples, Austrian dairy products, and Belgian sweet peppers to Hungarian cherries, Serbian blueberries, and Dutch pork, new foods from around the world are accelerating their journey to Chinese dining tables.

"Serbia is one of the largest blueberry producers in Europe, with the blueberry season starting in June," said Jelena Stevanovic, Head of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce Representative Office in China. She thought that the Chinese market would be a new opportunity for Serbia's blueberry industry.

Many countries are vying to bring their agricultural food products to China, attracted by the potential of Chinese market. For example, according to China's General Administration of Customs, France is the largest source of agricultural imports from the EU to China and the second-largest agricultural trading partner.

By mid-2023, over 200 types of French agricultural and food products had been approved for export to China, with nearly 7,000 food production enterprises registered in China.

Data from the General Administration of Customs shows that in 2023, China imported 1.426 million tons of fresh durians, of which 929,000 tons came from Thailand and 493,000 tons from Vietnam. As durians from Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines are approved for export to China, durian prices in the Chinese market are going down.

The increasingly diverse array of fruits and vegetables is a direct reflection of China's ongoing effort in openness.

Reporting by Li Jie from People’s Daily; trans-editing by Wang Yunya