China's peach and nectarine production is estimated at 17.6 million metric tons (MMT) in marketing year (MY) 2024/25 (January-December), slightly up from the previous year. Serious heat and drought have been affecting parts of northern China, including major peach/nectarine producing provinces, such as Shandong and Henan, since May. This weather pattern will likely lower peach/nectarine production as insufficient water will have a negative impact on fruit development, according to fruit farmers in Shandong where peach/nectarine harvest just began in early June. However, the anticipated reduction in certain parts of northern China will be offset by good harvests in other peach/nectarine producing areas that have not reported weather abnormalities.
Peaches and nectarines are planted in northwestern provinces (e.g., Shaanxi and Shanxi) and southern China (e.g., Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, and Anhui). Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang produce smaller quantities but high value honey peaches.
Peach/nectarine acreage is estimated to continue declining in MY 2024/25, primarily in the northern plain area covering Hebei and Shandong provinces. Undesirable market returns have led some farmers to shift peach production to other profitable crops such as cherries.
Tightened government policies on farmland use under the auspices of food security strategies also requires fruit farmers to give up peach crops for grain production if their orchards sit on "basic farmland". Compared to high valued fruit such as cherries, greenhouse cultivation of peaches and nectarines is quite limited, but the area is slowly increasing as some farmers intend to harvest peaches/nectarines early for higher market prices. Local peach season begins in mid-May and ends in late October, while peaches/nectarines cultivated in greenhouses become available in April.
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Source: fas.usda.gov