Rising Demand, Trade Prospects, and the Rise of China's Horticultural Industry

Rising incomes, migration and changing food-retailing venues are creating dramatic changes in China’s food economy – especially in urban areas. During the past decade, there have been sharp rises in the consumption of, among other food items, horticultural commodities. For example, the demand for fruit by urban consumers rose from 40 kilograms per capita in 1997 to 60 kilograms per capita in 2004, while the consumption of high-valued vegetables rose from 113 kilograms per capita in 1997 to 123 kilograms per capita in 2004 (CNBS 2005).