High Strawberry Prices in China This Season

Climatic factors have led to delays in this year’s strawberry harvest across many regions of China, resulting in a significant surge in market prices of nearly 40%. According to data from China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, as of Dec. 9, the average nationwide wholesale price of strawberries had risen to 33.83 Chinese yuan ($4.64) per kilogram, representing a 39.04% year-on-year increase.

Wholesale strawberry prices vary enormously across regions. Data from Dec. 10 show that prices in major wholesale markets ranged from a maximum of 56 yuan ($7.69) per kilogram to a minimum of just 3.07 yuan ($0.42) per kilogram, a gap of 52.93 yuan ($7.27). For instance, in a wholesale fruit market in Beijing’s Chaoyang District, strawberries were priced at 50 yuan ($6.87) per kilogram, whereas in an agricultural market in Tengzhou, a city in southern Shandong province, the price was just 4 yuan ($0.55) per kilogram.

In supermarkets, strawberry prices tend to be relatively high and remain stable. On Dec. 9, Freshippo, the Chinese supermarket brand launched by e-commerce giant Alibaba, was listing Hongyan strawberries (红颜草莓) at 35.9 yuan ($4.93) per 300 grams and Zhangji cream strawberries (章姬奶油草莓) at 29.8 yuan ($4.09) per 300 grams, corresponding to approximately 119.7 yuan ($16.43) and 99.3 yuan ($13.64) per kilogram, respectively. On Dingdong Maicai, another fresh produce e-commerce platform, Zhangji cream strawberries were priced at around 99.6 yuan ($13.68) per kilogram. Meanwhile, at RT-Mart, the same variety was priced at 25.8 yuan ($3.54) per 300 grams, equating to 86 yuan ($11.81) per kilogram.

Strawberry prices in fruit shops are running even higher. At Pagoda, China’s largest fruit store chain, Zhangji cream strawberries were priced at 99.8 yuan ($13.70) per kilogram, while Hongbaoyu strawberries (红宝玉草莓) reached 139.8 yuan ($19.20) per kilogram. In a fruit store in Shanghai’s Qingpu District, strawberries were being sold for 90 yuan ($12.36) per kilogram. Meanwhile, in Dandong, a city in Liaoning province renowned for strawberry cultivation, medium-sized strawberries were priced at 159.6 yuan ($21.92) per kilogram, with large strawberries commanding prices as high as 176 yuan ($24.17) per kilogram.

The nationwide delay in strawberry harvests is the primary driver of the recent price surge. Taking the Chengdu market as an example, strawberries from key winter production regions such as Xichang and Panzhihua are typically priced between 40 yuan ($5.49) and 60 yuan ($8.24) per kilogram. However, extremely high temperatures in August and September disrupted local planting schedules and subsequent cold weather further worsened the situation, delaying the harvest by about 20 days compared with previous years. Early in the supply season, scarcity pushed wholesale prices above 80 yuan ($10.99) per kilogram. However, as more strawberries enter the market, prices are expected to gradually decrease.

In Shanghai, unfavorable climate conditions this season during the seedling stage have posed significant challenges. Prolonged high temperatures in August led to widespread disease outbreaks, causing delays in transplanting. In September, Typhoon Bebinca brought heavy rainfall that severely affected seedling propagation, significantly reducing propagation rates and increasing seedling costs. Disruption to the blooming cycles further delayed the availability of strawberries by a substantial margin.

In Hangzhou, this summer’s heat waves delayed the transplanting of strawberry seedlings by almost 20 days. Even in October, the hot weather persisted, further postponing the flowering period. As a result, the first batch of strawberries entered the market about a month later than last year.

Similarly, weather conditions delayed the ripening of strawberries in Beijing. Growers reported that their strawberries began ripening in early December, with early-season yields being relatively low.

Image: Pixabay

This article was translated from Chinese. Read the original article.