Fresh cut flower exports in China are growing rapidly

According to statistics from the General Administration of Customs of China, China’s flower import and export trade achieved steady growth in the first half of this year. From January to June 2026, the total export value of flowers reached $335 million, a year‑on‑year increase of 19.6%; total imports amounted to $133 million, up 19.2%.

The range of exported plant categories continued to expand. Potted plants remained the largest export category, with exports of $148 million in the first half of the year, up 7.5%, accounting for 44% of total exports. Fresh cut flower exports continued to grow, with their share rising to 41% and export value reaching $138 million, a significant increase of 34.2% year‑on‑year. Traditional varieties such as roses, carnations and chrysanthemums remained the main export drivers. Fresh cut rose exports grew by 64.5%.

Among export destinations, Russia and Kazakhstan showed particularly outstanding performance. Exports of fresh cut flowers to Russia surged by 140% to $16.30 million, followed by fresh cut foliage and dried cut branches. Exports of seedlings/ bulbs to Russia grew most dramatically, rising from almost nothing in the past to $0.48 million. Fresh cut flower exports to Kazakhstan increased by 42.9% to $24.13 million, of which fresh cut flowers accounted for 75%.

By province, Yunnan, Guangdong and Fujian ranked as the top three exporters. Thanks to the rapid growth of fresh cut flower exports, Yunnan achieved a growth rate of 55.5% and captured 40.6% of the total export share. Guangdong, which mainly exports potted plants, saw a slight decline and held 20.5% of the export market. The main destinations for potted plants were Vietnam, the Netherlands, the United States, South Korea and Japan, with Vietnam and the Netherlands having the largest shares.

In addition to fresh cut flowers and potted plants, exports of dried cut flowers and dried cut foliage also grew. The major markets were the United States, Japan and Germany. Among them, exports of dried cut branches to the Netherlands declined by 28%, while those to the United States and Japan increased by 52% and 10%, respectively.

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