STRAWBERRY INDUSTRY IN CHINA

Abstract

Due to recent industry expansion, China is a leading strawberry producing country: in 2005, crop area and production were estimated at 84,300 hectares and 1.95 million MT, respectively. Strawberry is produced in nearly all regions of the country, with Hebei, Shandong and Liaoning Provinces accounting for 60% of total production. Production derives from two production systems: open field (OF) and protected culture (PC). The OF system uses large-scale plantings to produce processing fruit, while PC uses plastic-covered structures to produce fruit mainly for fresh market production. The PC system uses annual plantings of fresh-dug plants, raised beds and polyethylene bed mulch, whereas OF production uses perennial plantings, furrow irrigation and bare soil. Harvest season varies with production area and system, with PC plantings producing fruit November-May, and OF plantings producing fruit April-June. Nearly all fresh-market fruit is consumed within China while nearly all processed strawberries are exported. Japanese cultivars are used for fresh-market production while US and European cultivars are used for processing. Poor plant quality is a serious limitation and there are few nurseries that produce certified disease-free plants. Research in breeding is conducted by a number of Chinese universities and research institutes, but few cultivars have been commercialized. On-farm propagation, poorly-adapted cultivars, the lack of refrigeration, and inefficient post-harvest handling systems limit fruit production and quality. A major challenge is the effective delivery of educational programs for hundreds of thousands of Chinese strawberry growers.