Fruit from Thailand, Chile, New Zealand and Vietnam was the most popular for e-commerce sales in China last year, according to a new report. 

The report collected data from Tmall.com, an affiliate of China's largest business-to-consumer online e-commerce platform, Alibaba, and CBNData to produce its findings.

Thailand holds more than half the share of the imported fruit market in the country, the report showed.

It also found that the popularity of online fresh food sales has been rising significantly over recent years. In 2014 e-commerce sales accounted for 35% of total sales, but in 2016 it had shot up to 61%.

The most popular fruits from each of the top four countries were New Zealand kiwifruit, Thai durians, Vietnamese mangoes, and Chilean cherries.

Imports of Chilean cherries into China far exceed those from other suppliers, including the U.S., Canada and Australia.

The report also noted demand had increased for fruits that were out of season in China, as rising incomes mean more and more consumers want to eat fruits all year round.

The Asian country's per-capita income for urban residents increased during 2016 to RMB31,115 (US$4,494), while for rural residents its rose to RMB11,142 (US$1,609). 

Living standards have been rising alongside the growing incomes, and as such the demand for fresh food has also been on the upswing. 

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