China’s Peach and Nectarine Imports Hit 62,000 Tons in 2024/25

According to the Chile: Stone Fruit Annual and Australia: Stone Fruit Annual reports recently released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service, China’s imports of peaches and nectarines continue to display steady growth. Over the past eight years, China has imported these fruits almost exclusively from Chile and Australia. Australia’s share declined to about 9% in marketing year 2024/25, while Chile’s share has consistently increased. In the 2024/25 season, China’s imports of peaches and nectarines reached an estimated 62,000 metric tons — more than a sixfold increase in eight years — with over 90% sourced from Chile.

Chile

Production

Assuming normal yields and favorable climate conditions with no unexpected interruptions to production, Chile’s commercial production of fresh peaches and nectarines is projected to reach 205,000 metric tons in 2025/26, a 3.4% increase from the 198,180 metric tons registered in 2024/25. Nectarine production, driven by strong export demand, remains highly profitable, resulting in continued expansion of nectarine orchards — from 5,101 hectares (12,600 acres) in 2017/18 to 7,597 hectares (18,800 acres) in 2024/25. In particular, the O’Higgins region of central Chile, which represents 75% of total nectarine plantings, has increased its planted area by 16.4% over three years. By contrast, the area planted with fresh peaches has declined steadily, falling to a low of 1,599 hectares (3,950 acres) in 2024/25.

Domestic Consumption

Domestic consumption is predicted to rise to 60,050 metric tons in 2025/26, a 3.4% increase from the previous year. Most domestic consumption consists of fruit that does not meet export quality standards.

Exports

Chile’s fresh peach and nectarine exports are forecast to total 146,000 metric tons in 2025/26, corresponding to an increase of 3.4%, driven by strong international demand. Between November 2024 and May 2025, total exports reached 141,180 metric tons, a 22.7% increase compared with the same period of 2023/24. Meanwhile, the export value increased by 13.2% to $198.2 million. China remained the largest market, with imports totaling 56,978 metric tons (+23.3%) and worth $74.4 million (+7.7%).

Australia

Production

Australia’s fresh peach and nectarine production is projected to decline to 70,000 metric tons in 2025/26, down from 75,000 metric tons in 2024/25. The Australian Bureau of Meteorology predicts a high likelihood of above-average rainfall in key regions such as Goulburn Valley and Sunraysia in Victoria from September to November 2025, which could negatively impact both yields and fruit quality.

Domestic Consumption

Domestic consumption is expected to fall to 59,300 metric tons in 2025/26, down from 63,200 metric tons in 2024/25, reflecting both a drop in production and anticipated lower fruit quality.

Exports

Australian exports of fresh peaches and nectarines are forecast to decline to 11,200 metric tons in 2025/26, down from 12,400 metric tons in 2024/25. Nectarines account for roughly two-thirds of these exports, with peaches making up the remaining one-third. Historically, China has been the largest market for both Australian peaches and nectarines, accounting for around three-quarters of Australia’s nectarine exports. However, in the 2024/25 season, Australia supplied only about 9% of China’s total peach and nectarine imports, down from an average of 15% in recent years. This decline has been offset by increased shipments to Singapore and the United Arab Emirates.

Imports

Imports of peaches and nectarines into Australia are forecast to increase to 800 metric tons in 2025/26, up from a downward-revised 600 metric tons in 2024/25 and sourced almost entirely from the United States.

Images: Pixabay (main image), U.S. Department of Agriculture (body images)

This article was based on a Chinese article. Read the original article.