Chinese traders say Australia’s first full season of mainland airfreight access has been a success, with freshness the key reason for a surge in cherry sales.
Two trade events in Guangzhou and Shanghai this month highlighted the strength of demand, with 92 per cent of those attending saying they were buying more.
Australian cherries are grown across six states in the country, with farmers producing around 16,000 tonnes per annum. Until the current season, only Tasmania had airfreighted cherries to China.
Australian horticultural exports to China rose from A$13 million in 2010 to more than A$500 million in 2017.