ASIA FOCUS
China’s taste for Thai fruit drives prospects for logistics businesses
Improved road network means fresh produce can reach markets faster, but cold-chain and related facilities needed.
- Published: 19 Nov 2012 at 11.58
- Newspaper section: Asia focus
Growing exports of Thai fruit to China are creating opportunities for logistics providers along overland routes between the two countries.
China’s imports of tropical fruit, particularly from Thailand, have risen sharply. The Chinese are enthusiastic eaters of fruit, with per-capita consumption estimated at 149 kilogrammes per year, twice the global average. China is the world’s top grower of fruits, yet its imports of tropical fruits have been increasing substantially due to several factors.
The expansion of China’s middle class has driven new consumer demand, while domestic distribution systems have improved, and, most importantly, import tariffs on fruits and vegetables have fallen to zero under the China-Asean Free Trade Agreement.
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