China produces nearly 350 billion kilograms of fruit annually, accounting for roughly one-third of global output. Traditionally, fruits in China are categorized by geography into northern and southern varieties, People’s Daily Online informs.
In recent years, however, an increasing number of fruits typically cultivated in southern regions have begun to thrive in the country’s north.
“We began growing southern fruits here around 2012, and after more than a decade of experimentation, over 30 tropical fruit varieties have now made their home here,” said Liu Huiping, head of a family farm in Fangcheng subdistrict, Fangzi district, Weifang city, Shandong Province.
The farm dedicates about 150 mu (10 hectares) to growing southern fruits. Liu said the farm harvests grapefruits, dekopon oranges, blood oranges and king white mulberries from January to March, followed by waxberries and jaboticaba from April to June. Dragon fruit, wax apples and guavas are harvested in later months.
In Beijing, facility-based cultivation of southern fruit varieties has steadily expanded in recent years, according to a staff member at the municipal agricultural technology promotion station. Currently, 18 varieties — including king white mulberries, guavas, star fruit, wax apples, pineapples and wampee — are grown across about 1,150 mu of land, with harvests spanning the entire year.
Agricultural experts attribute this trend to rising consumer demand, which has fueled the expansion of southern fruit cultivation in northern regions.
According to preliminary data, southern fruits are now grown on more than 10,000 mu of land in northern China, including Shaanxi, Shanxi, Jilin, Heilongjiang, Hebei and Xinjiang.
This transformation has been made possible by significant advances in agricultural technology and facility equipment.
“Growing southern fruits in northern regions is difficult. Temperature control and soil acidity and alkalinity are fundamental issues,” Liu said.
The significant differences in climate and soil between the northern and southern regions make cultivation difficult. Cold snaps in winter can freeze or kill sensitive tropical fruit trees, while certain fruits — such as waxberries — require warm, humid environments and highly specific soil conditions, especially when it comes to the soil’s acidity. These factors further complicate efforts for growers.
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However, the situation has improved thanks to modern facility agriculture.
Liu has built more than 20 greenhouses in recent years. These allow for real-time monitoring of soil, temperature, humidity and pest activity, and enable automatic adjustments based on growth models for fruit trees.
Liu has also installed an integrated water and fertilizer system. These technologies have made large-scale, cross-season and cross-region tropical fruit cultivation possible.
China’s modern facility planting area now exceeds 40 million mu, providing a strong foundation for the continued expansion of southern fruit cultivation in northern regions.
Industry groups predict China’s fruit retail market will reach 1.8 trillion yuan ($250 billion) by 2026, with especially high demand for southern fruits.
With growing market interest and ongoing advances in agricultural technology, southern fruits are expected to become even more common across northern China in the coming years.
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