Peaches from Fenghua, E China's Zhejiang reach global market

Photo shows peaches from Fenghua district of Ningbo city, east China's Zhejiang Province. (Photo/Feng Xin)

In the summertime, the air is scented with peaches.

At fruit stalls, charming peaches are the absolute star; peach and oolong tea combinations are the seasonal highlights in milk tea shops; and peach paired with shaved ice is the cooling tool of choice in dessert shops.

Peaches originated in China and the Chinese people have loved and eaten peaches for around 4,000 years. China leads the world in peach cultivation area and production, and among those cultivation areas is Fenghua district in Ningbo city, east China's Zhejiang Province。

Fenghua has an ideal environment for cultivating peaches, and possesses a peach cultivation history of over 800 years.

Photo shows peaches on a tree at an orchard in Fenghua district of Ningbo city, east China's Zhejiang Province. (Photo/Yu Yafei)

Currently, Fenghua cultivates over 30 varieties of peaches across a total area of 35,000 mu (about 2,333 hectares), yielding approximately 60,000 tonnes of peaches and generating an output value of over 1 billion yuan (about $170 million) for the entire industrial chain.

Photo shows peaches on a tree at an orchard in Fenghua district of Ningbo city, east China's Zhejiang Province. (Photo/Zhou Wenjuan)

Fenghua boasts a warm and humid climate that provides the ideal conditions for nurturing peaches. This unique environment infuses every cell of Fenghua peaches with a vibrant and irresistible sweetness, establishing it as a major peach production region in China.

"The peach skin is typically green, with a red blush where the sunlight hits. Some peaches may have uneven coloration due to varying sunlight exposure, and there may be natural peach spots on the surface. However, the taste remains authentic," said a person in charge of a peach brand in Fenghua.

Photo shows peaches from Fenghua district of Ningbo city, east China's Zhejiang Province. (Photo/Wu Yaping)

In addition to focusing on pre-production management, such as pest control, Fenghua now places increasing importance on post-production management training. This includes precise ripeness control, efficient logistics, and temperature regulation during transportation. To achieve this, Fenghua has introduced the first advanced peach sorting system in China.

A woman sells peaches in Fenghua district of Ningbo city, east China's Zhejiang Province. (Photo/Shu Wubin)

Recently, 600 boxes of Fenghua peaches embarked on a journey to Dubai by plane. Each box contained four peaches, priced at 79.9 dirhams, equivalent to about 40 yuan per peach.

"This instance of exporting peaches presents an opportunity to broaden our international sales channels. We must guarantee impeccable product quality and establish a foothold for Fenghua peaches in global markets," said a staff member of the company in Fenghua district that exported the peaches to Dubai.

Photo shows peaches from Fenghua district of Ningbo city, east China's Zhejiang Province. (Photo/Yu Yafei)

Photo shows peaches from Fenghua district of Ningbo city, east China's Zhejiang Province. (Photo/Wu Hongwei)

"Peaches are the key to prosperity in our village. Many villagers rely on peach sales to build new homes and send their children to college," said Lin Yongjie, Party chief of Linjiacun village, Fenghua district. This year's peach blossom season attracted nearly 300,000 tourist visits to a renowned peach orchard in the village.

A villager carries two baskets of peaches on a shoulder pole at an orchard in Fenghua district of Ningbo city, east China's Zhejiang Province. (Photo/Xia Guoliang)

Workers pack peach in Fenghua district of Ningbo city, east China's Zhejiang Province. (Photo/Xia Guoliang)

Fenghua peaches have already penetrated markets in countries like Singapore and the Netherlands. The recent shipment to Dubai marks another significant milestone for Fenghua peaches in the Dubai market.

The people of Fenghua have even greater aspirations, hoping that their peaches may reach every corner of the globe.