On December 13, Chile and China signed the Frozen Fruit Protocol. The number of Chilean frozen fruits allowed to enter China increased significantly from 3 to 17, which is an important milestone for Chile’s agricultural export sector.
Chile’s Minister of Agriculture, María Emilia Undurraga, signed the agreement together with the Chinese Ambassador to Chile, Niu Qingdao. With the new agreement, the number of frozen fruits from Chile to China increased to 17: raspberries, boysenberries, cranberries, apples, avocados, cherries, sugars, grapes, kiwis, peaches, mangoes, papayas, pineapples, pomegranates, blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries. Prior to this, China was only allowed to import three types of frozen fruit from Chile: frozen strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries.
In 2020, Chile exported 171,000 tons of frozen fruit for $435 million, of which berries alone exceeded $340 million. Chile’s frozen berry exports are dominated by blueberries and strawberries, with 29% and 28% respectively, followed by raspberries (16%) and blackberries (8%).
China is the fifth-largest export destination for Chilean frozen fruit, with 11,000 tons imported in 2020, worth $23 million. It is worth noting that this is the first time that China has approved the import of frozen raspberries, apples, parsnips, grapes, kiwis, peaches, papayas, and pomegranates from abroad. At present, China is permitted to import a total of 16 types of frozen fruits, and after the agreement with Chile is signed, the variety of frozen fruits entering the Chinese market will also be significantly increased.
Article originally published in Chinese from: International Fruit and Vegetable Report
