China on course for record apple exports in 2017
![China on course for record apple exports in 2017 China on course for record apple exports in 2017](https://cdn.freshfruitportal.com/2016/06/manzanas_36193732-1024x683.jpg)
China looks to be on track to beat its previous record for apple exports set last year, with shipments to neighboring India driving much of the growth.
Apple exports from January to August were up 4% year-on-year at 812,000 metric tons (MT), according to customs data.
Some 784,000MT had been exported over the same period in 2016 - a year that in the end saw record exports of 1.3 million MT.
Shipments to India, the leading market, were up 34% across the eight-month period at 131,000MT. To Indonesia, the fifth-largest receiver, exports increased 45% to 69,000MT.
Exports to the other top five markets, however, all saw declines.
Trade with Bangladesh was down 14% at 75,000MT, to the Philippines it was down 7% at 72,000MT, and to Thailand it fell 22% to 69,000MT.
Shipments rose by 55% to Kazakhstan, the number-six market, reaching 58,000MT, while to Nepal they rose 17% to 41,000MT.
In the four years prior to last year's record exports, the country had shipped between 833,000MT and 975,000MT annually.
Photo: www.shutterstock.com