(Yicai Global) July 15 -- Turkey, the world's largest cherry producer, is significantly increasing its cherry exports to China after the latter nation relaxed its customs clearance procedures for such agricultural produce. 

A batch of 10 tons of cherries arrived from Izmir to Shanghai, the first since the rules changed, export firm Bin Yue Trading told Yicai Global. 

China and Turkey revised their cherry export agreement in June to alter a requirement of 16 days of storage in a nearly frozen state to three hours of purification, which brings the product to market faster while reducing costs.

China imported 186,000 tons of cherries last year, nearly tripling the amount from the previous year. The value grew almost three-fold to CNY8.9 billion (USD1.3 billion).

China could become Turkey's biggest export market for cherries in the next few years, Turkish media reported. The Western Asian nation had an output of 530,000 tons during the peak season from 2017 to last year, almost equal to the combined sum of that of the US, Canada and Chile. 

Chile is one of the eight countries that China imports these drupes from and the South American nation showcased its produce at the first China International Import Expo in Shanghai last November, wishing to sell more. More than 80 percent of Chile's exported 186,000 tons of cherries were brought to China last season.

Editor: Emmi Laine