The average price of fruit in Shanghai is expected to rise by about 10 percent this year, after climbing by nearly 15 percent in 2005, according to the Shanghai Fruit Association.

Wholesale turnover of fruit in the city hit 2.5 billion yuan (US$309 million) last year, an increase of 12 percent from the previous year. Trade volume was down slightly to 1.5 million tons, however.

The consumption of exotic fruit also decreased for the first time last year. Exotic fruit accounted for just 8 percent of all fruit sold in the city last year, down from 12 percent in 2004, according to the association.

The association expects total turnover this year to hit 1.6 million tons with prices climbing by about 10 percent from last year.

"Expensive fruits, like winter dates and some new species of oranges, have become especially popular in the city now," said Pan Caidong, general manager of Shanghai Shanhua Fruit Market.

According to an annual market survey conducted by the association, fruit prices rose by as much as 30 percent in some parts of the city last year due to cold weather in the spring and several nasty typhoons that lashed Shanghai during the summer.

(Shanghai Daily February 6, 2006)