China registered a lower volume of fruit imports during the first quarter of 2020 amid the Covid-19 outbreak, but the value of imports managed to notch a rise.

The volume of fruit imports fell by 12% year-on-year to 1.61m metric tons (MT), but the value rose by 7% to US$3.01bn, according to figures from China's Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Foodstuffs.

Cherries were the main drivers of the value growth of the period, rising by 34% to US$1.19bn, and representing 40% of total fruit imports.

Also contributing towards the growth were: peaches and nectarines, up 30% at $800m; durians, up 7% at $220m; dragon fruit, up 77% at $165m; and cranberries and blueberries, up 17% at $90m.

There were declines for grapes, down 13% at $240m; bananas, down 15% at $165m; and plums, down 27% at $100m.

Chile was the main fruit exporter to China over the three months, followed by Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines and Peru.

Over the same period, China's fruit exports fell by 9% in volume to 800,000MT and 15% in value to US$1.15bn.