North China's Shanxi province exported 260,000 metric tons of fruits worth $350 million in 2020, according to provincial customs department Taiyuan Customs on Feb 28. 

The fruits were exported to 73 countries and regions, including major trade partners and those involved in the Belt and Road Initiative.

Apples, pears and peaches have always been the main fruits exported from Shanxi. After exports to the Eurasian Economic Union market were blocked in 2017 and 2018, Shanxi's fruit exports faced a downturn in demand.

Facing an unfavorable situation, Taiyuan Customs took various measures to expand fruit export varieties and export countries. 

After continuous efforts, Shanxi's fruit export varieties and export destinations have increased yearly. The export types have grown from two – fresh apples and pears – in 2010 to 11 types in 2020, including fresh apples, pears, peaches, dates, pomegranates, hawthorns and grapes. The number of countries (or regions) receiving exports increased to 73 from nine in 2010, said an official from Taiyuan Customs. 

In particular, the export volume of fresh dates has increased from the initial 3 tons to 502 tons last year – the highest export volume of dates in the country. The number of destinations receiving Shanxi's date exports has grown from one to 14. 

To better serve export enterprises, improve the efficiency of examination and approval and strengthen the inspection and quarantine supervision of fruits exported to Russia, Central Asia and other countries and regions, Taiyuan Customs and Urumqi Customs in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region signed a joint fruit supervision cooperation agreement in December. The deal has dramatically improved the efficiency of customs clearance for fruit exports to Central Asia.