More Chinese vegetables for European plates

Beans [File photo: Baidu]

Europe is now the largest market for the export of Chinese fruit and vegetables.

China has recorded a sharp increase in the value of exports of fruit and vegetables to Europe, making it the largest export destination for Chinese produce.

Both fresh and frozen fruit and vegetables are exported, with garlic and asparagus said to be in particular demand.

That's according to specialist publication Fresh Plaza, who report that total exports of produce from China to Europe increased by 5 percent over the course of 2016.

Exports of frozen garlic alone increased by 50 percent over the year, and in total the trade is expected to increase again by around 10 percent during 2017.

All of this is good news for European consumers.

Last year, a Chinese study involving 500,000 people had shown the consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables relates to a reduced risk of heart attack and stroke.

The study looked at the impact of fresh fruit, as it is consumed in much lower volumes per person in China than in other countries such as the UK and the US.

The research was conducted by the University of Oxford and the Chinese Academy of Medical Science and looked at adults from 10 urban and rural societies across China.

To ensure the study was as accurate as possible, the team tracked health for seven years through hospital records and death records.