When we think about Chinaour first thoughts probably go to electric cars, solar panels or economies of scale that make our Western productions seem like small artisan workshops. But the real surprise is that, in addition to dominating in the more technological sectors, the China it is also the undisputed queen of apples, pears and… grapes. Here, in fact, fruit production seems to follow the same logic: if you can’t beat the Chinajoin her. And as if that wasn’t enough, it does so with mind-boggling numbers.
Let’s start with apples. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) expects global apple production for 2024/25 to experience a small decline, losing around 350,000 tonnes, with a final result of 84 million tonnes. In Europe, the United States, Turkey and Russia, the harvests did not live up to expectations, but the real shock comes from Beijing, where apple production is set to grow by 1.5 million tonnes, reaching a total of 48 million. Practically, the China alone it will produce more apples than the entire European Union produces (11 million, to be precise). And despite the irreducible decline in exports from the United States and Iran, Chinese exports will still hold up, with growth that dwarfs anyone who dares compete in the apple market. Good luck, Europe!
But apples aren’t the only fruit under Chinese rule. Pears, in fact, seem to follow the same fate: la China it is set to produce 350,000 tonnes more in 2024/25, bringing its harvest to an impressive 20.2 million tonnes. A growth that comes despite the progressive aging of Chinese farmers (which does not slow down the fruit industry in the slightest), agricultural policies that favor cereals, and the now traditional decline in cultivated land. And to think that Europe, with its production increasing by a modest 60,000 tonnes (for a total of 1.9 million), thinks it has hope. But faced with a China that is harvesting almost 90% of the world’s pears, how can we compete?
And it doesn’t end here. THE’USDA also analyzed the prospects for table grapes. The numbers speak clearly: world grape production will rise by almost one million tonnes, reaching 28.9 million tonnes, but with the China leading the ballet with an increase of 700,000 tons, bringing its production to 14.2 million. In Europe, however, grape production is destined to collapse by 200,000 tons, with Italy suffering from the heat and Greece suffering from a summer of drought. At this point, perhaps the only things we can export are regrets.
In short, the China it is not only the country of factories and high-tech gadgets, but also the largest fruit market on the planet. Apples, pears and grapes arrive from Beijing in quantities that dwarf everyone else’s economies, with such productive power that it almost seems as if the Chinese have found the secret to not only “doing their homework” but actually rewriting the rules of game. And while we continue to struggle with spring frosts and fruits that can’t even get past the pollination phase, China is racking up successes on every front, fruit and otherwise.
What does the future hold for us? In all likelihood, a world in which the China it will be a leader not only in the technological domain, but also in our shopping basket. And we, with our paltry 11 million apples, will be watching.
