Lost advantage

China is the world's biggest producer of fruit, and also a dynamic market for fresh produce. Imported goods, such as kiwifruit from New Zealand, cherries from Chile and durians from Southeast Asia, are earning an increasingly important spot on urban consumers' grocery lists.

In addition, global trends, such as the craze for "superfoods"-which are regarded as nutritionally dense and rich in antioxidants-have prompted consumers to buy more fresh organic fruit, and these special features are making the high prices of these fruit varieties acceptable.

Fruits that China leads the world in growing, such as apples, pears and watermelons, have a big price advantage in the global market, but their rising cost means the country is losing that advantage, which also explains the nationwide concern, Wu said.

However, Song, the think tank economist, believes the rising price of fruit is not necessarily a bad thing.

"The hot discussions about 'fruit freedom' reflect the fact that people are experiencing a consumption upgrade, which is also the fundamental factor driving the price surge. When people become more affluent, they demand finer, higher-quality fruit," he said.

He added that the good news for consumers is that prices are set to drop soon. For example, watermelons are coming into season, so the price is expected to fall sharply in August.

According to Wu, the overall price of fruit will fall slowly as more seasonal items hit the market, and it is certain that the inventory shortage will trigger a rise in production this year.

Song said, "In the future, as China undergoes a dramatic shift in consumption, the price of fruit will play a bigger and bigger role in overall commodity prices, and those changes will be more closely linked to the economic situation."