China's import of Chilean fruit on the rise

Food exports from Chile to China saw a strong increase of 35 percent year-on-year to $438 million in 2011, according to Chilean government figures underscore the South American country's position as one of the major fruit suppliers to China.

Chilean fruit take up a substantial share of China's fruit imports. According to data from ProChile, a trade promotion organization at the Chile's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Chilean cherry exports in 2011 accounted for 75 percent of China's total cherry imports, while plums accounted for 71 percent; grapes, 58 percent; and apples, 54 percent.

China overtook the United States to become Chile's largest trading partner in 2009. Bilateral trade between the two countries increased in 2011 to $29 billion from $24.7 billion a year ago, Chinese data showed.

During the first half of the year, trade between China and Chile increased 14.8 percent year-on-year to $14.7 billion, Chilean customs data showed.