Imported fruits from ASEAN, such as durian, mango, mangosteen, banana, and dragon fruit, are currently highly sought after by consumers in Chongqing. According to Professor Mo Yuanming from Chongqing Technology and Business University, as the logistics and operational organization center for the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor in western China, Chongqing is transitioning from being a "transit point for goods" to a "collection and distribution hub," shifting from a "corridor economy" to a "hub economy." Against this backdrop, economic and trade relations between Chongqing and ASEAN are continuously warming, with ASEAN fruits now constituting the "main force" of Chongqing's imported fruit market.
Data released by Chongqing Customs shows that in the first quarter of 2026, Chongqing imported 476.417 million kilograms of agricultural products, including fruits, marking a year-on-year increase of 145.6%. The New Land-Sea Corridor Operation Co., Ltd. recently announced that in the first four months of 2026, the company imported 310 twenty-foot equivalent unit containers of bananas from Laos via the China-Laos Railway, representing a 370% year-on-year growth.
The booming market is attracting more enterprises to engage in the fruit import and export trade. Hu Zaiyang, President of the Chongqing Tongnan District Lemon Industry Association, cited Tongnan as an example, noting that besides industry giants like Xuewang Agriculture, some small and medium-sized enterprises registered in townships have recently entered the fruit import and export business.
Ling Yao, General Manager of Chongqing Tiansheng Yunyang Supply Chain Co., Ltd., stated that while offline channels for importing ASEAN fruits into Chongqing are gradually becoming saturated, online channels are showing an increasing trend. Wang Yong, Store Manager of Hema Fresh in Chongqing's Ranjiaba, also mentioned that Hema Fresh is providing more convenient services to consumers through a model of "online ordering + offline display and delivery."
In the cross-border fruit trade, both ASEAN and Chongqing enterprises have opportunities. Ling Yao suggested that ASEAN source factories should focus on deepening product quality, while Chongqing distributors should excel in supply chain management, fostering orderly competition in the thriving market to ensure sustainable development space.
Mo Yuanming recommended that ASEAN enterprises concentrate on "cultivation sources + primary quality control + raw material supply," optimizing, strengthening, and specializing in upstream supply. Chongqing enterprises, on the other hand, should focus on "cold chain collection and distribution + deep processing + brand channels + supply chain services," improving the business environment and deepening cross-border cooperation.