China is more in demand than ever

The durian is the undisputed star. According to the FRUIT LOGISTICA Trend Report, exports of the exotic fruit worth USD 4.8 billion in 2023, an astonishing USD 3.2 billion more than in 2018 - an average value increase of 24.8 per cent per year. The main reason is the huge appetite for it in China. At USD 3.2 billion, the durian trade from Thailand to China has become the world's largest fresh fruit trade flow in terms of value.
"We Chinese like to eat this durian fruit very much, and so exports are increasing every year, currently very, very fast," says Ye Canjiang, Chairman of Guangzhou Jiangnan Food Vegetable Wholesale Market, who visited FRUIT LOGISTICA as part of a delegation of Chinese wholesale markets. China's exhibitor presence at the trade show has increased by a third this year. The country is the world's second-largest importer of fresh fruit and nuts after the USA and is always on the lookout for trading partners. The delegation from China also paid a visit to the German Federal Association of Fruit and Vegetable Producer Organisations (BVEO).

Exchange on new trade routes

BVEO Managing Director Christian Weseloh was delighted with the visit: "It was a great, open exchange. It was interesting to hear which products are available in China during which time windows, which countries are already exporting to China and which products will be of interest to China in the future." With the new US government and its tariff announcements, his association is also seeing increased interest from Asia in products that these markets have previously sourced from other countries. "The demand for our apples in particular is increasing," says Weseloh.
As the Chinese market has been opened up for some German agricultural products after many years of trade barriers, the BVEO Managing Director is expecting exports there in the coming season: "In the case of apples, it will start with trial deliveries, as is always the case when a market opens up. Then we'll see how things go the season after next." In 2023, China imported apples worth more than 900 million US dollars.
Weseloh sees good opportunities in China for red, sweet apples in particular: "Prospects for cherries too." China currently sources cherries mainly from Chile, with a volume of 2.3 billion US dollars in 2023. Weseloh is certain: "This market will keep us very busy in the coming years."

E-commerce platforms for the flow of goods

Wholesaler Ye Canjiang is also concerned with technical challenges: "We need to introduce more sales methods so that our retailers can do better shops on our trading platforms." The aim is to import the best practices, exchange ideas with international players, see which experiences are useful for their own market and where there is potential for development.
"We are in the age of big data and AI. We need to learn how to utilise this kind of high technology. The question is: How can our company use e-commerce platforms to serve our entire flow of goods?" says Canjiang.