The vegetable market in China is a promising area for importers. Despite the fact that the country is considered the world’s largest producer of vegetables, there are consumers here who are willing to buy highly eco-friendly, high-quality, tasty vegetables from abroad. As a rule, these are residents of large cities for whom the origin and environmental friendliness of products are important. They are often interested in fresh vegetables, ready-made mixes, as well as frozen or canned products.
Vegetables occupy a special place in the food culture of Chinese residents. They generally prefer to eat them as a standalone dish rather than as a side dish. Several types of seasonal vegetables may be served during a single meal, steamed, quickly stir-fried in a wok, stewed, pickled, or added to soup. Freshness, texture, and color play an important role. Importers should also take into account the fact that consumers in China usually buy products packaged in small portions, on average for a single meal.
The Chinese restaurant sector generally purchases standard batches, adheres to standard quality, and uses modern packaging.
Demand for foreign vegetables that are not grown in China is particularly noticeable in the premium segment. Such buyers value unique flavor characteristics.
Therefore, an importer must understand which specific vegetables sell well and in which regions of China, through which channels the products are sold, and how well they suit local taste preferences.
Which Imported Vegetables Sell Well in China?
- Cucumbers
Undoubtedly, the sales leaders in China are cucumbers and gherkins preserved with vinegar (HS Code 200110). The main importers are Vietnam and Russia.
From May 2025 to May 2026, Vietnam made 375 shipments of pickled cucumbers to China worth approximately $3.77 million and totaling around 6.14 million units of product. These were mainly pickled cucumbers in 0.72-liter glass jars.
From March 2024 to March 2025, Russia made 43 shipments of pickled cucumbers to China. The total value amounted to $772.7 thousand, while the weight exceeded 631 kg. These were predominantly pickled cucumbers and gherkins in glass jars, including products sold under Russian retail brands.
- Tomatoes
Another promising area for imports to China is tomatoes (HS Code 200210). Mexico is practically the only supplier to China of whole or cut tomatoes, prepared or preserved, with or without vinegar. From June 2025 to May 2026, 14 shipments were made with a total value of $71.3 thousand. The total weight amounted to 277.8 thousand kg.
It is worth noting that Mexico exports not traditional tomatoes, but whole Mexican tomatillos. The average value of one shipment was approximately $5.1 thousand, while the average declared price was approximately $0.26 per kilogram.
Notably, the market is highly concentrated, with only two major suppliers and three buyers. Thus, the tomato market in China is characterized by established niche demand. New importers entering the tomato market will need to compete in terms of product range, consistent quality, and cooperation with a limited number of specialized distributors.
- Dried Vegetables and Mixes
The consumption of dried vegetables and mixes is traditional in China. A thousand years ago, when refrigerators did not yet exist, Chinese people dried vegetables for convenient storage and believed that this allowed them to retain more beneficial properties and absorb broth better during cooking, giving dishes a richer flavor.
Imported dried vegetables and mixes are particularly popular. The main suppliers under HS Code 071290 are Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Pakistan, Uruguay, and Botswana.
Indonesia is the leader in terms of physical volume, having supplied approximately 346.1 tonnes worth $3.79 million from September 2020 to September 2021. The bulk of these shipments consists of sweet corn and corn seeds, as well as small batches of onion, garlic, and moringa powder, dried garcinia, and jelly grass.
Dehydrated green and white chives are imported into China from the Philippines. From June 2025 to June 2026, approximately 3 tonnes worth $725.1 thousand were imported.
Dried garlic, garlic powder, green onions, and leeks are imported from Vietnam. Over the course of a year, 533 shipments worth $130 thousand were made.
Pakistan supplied 57.6 kg of moringa and beetroot powder worth $35.3 thousand.
Thus, it can be seen that the Chinese market relies on regional supply chains. Vietnam leads in terms of the frequency of imports and the value of canned cucumbers. Indonesia ranks first in terms of the tonnage of dried vegetables, while Russia is strong in ready-to-eat canned vegetable products.
How to Supply Vegetables to China Profitably?
The most profitable option for importing vegetables into China is sourcing them from neighboring countries: Russia and the CIS countries. Given that these countries have government support measures that allow importers, through suppliers, to reduce the cost of all products, shorten delivery times, and gain competitive advantages, this direction appears promising.
In total, from April 2024 to the end of March 2025, Russia exported more than 1.5 million tonnes of pickled cucumbers worth more than $1.78 million. In addition to China, the products were shipped to Israel (203.7 tonnes, $239.6 thousand), the United States (99.4 tonnes, $94 thousand), Uzbekistan (79 tonnes, $96.9 thousand), Mongolia (68.4 tonnes, $87.4 thousand), Georgia (62.3 tonnes, $52.6 thousand), the UAE (50.9 tonnes, $71.4 thousand), Tajikistan (30.1 tonnes, $45.4 thousand), and other countries.
During the same period, Russia exported canned or prepared tomatoes to 39 countries. The total weight amounted to approximately 143.7 tonnes, while the total value exceeded $137 thousand. The main destinations were Azerbaijan (48.3 tonnes, $40.6 thousand), Israel (25.2 tonnes, $28.1 thousand), Georgia (5.3 tonnes, $5.5 thousand), the United Kingdom (4.4 tonnes, $3.5 thousand), Turkey (2.3 tonnes, $5.6 thousand), Egypt (895 kg, $3.5 thousand), and others.
Dried vegetables and vegetable mixes from Russia were shipped to 37 countries for a total value of $73.7 thousand and a total weight of approximately 13 tonnes. The products were exported to Mongolia (7.5 tonnes, $32.5 thousand), Korea (308 kg, $4.4 thousand), Uzbekistan (317 kg, $4.3 thousand), Turkmenistan (1.5 tonnes, $3.6 thousand), Turkey (283 kg, $3.3 thousand), and other countries.
The broad geography of Russia’s export shipments continues to expand every year thanks to government support measures. In 2026, the Russian Export Center, together with the Russian Ministry of Agriculture and the Federal Center “Agroexport,” provides companies with comprehensive support for entering the Chinese market. Russian manufacturers can receive consultations on registering enterprises in the GACC system, preparing document packages for Chinese regulatory authorities, adapting packaging and labeling to the requirements of PRC legislation, as well as confirming product compliance with Chinese sanitary and phytosanitary requirements.
One of the most sought-after promotional tools remains the national brand “Made in Russia.” After completing voluntary certification, a manufacturer obtains the right to use the corresponding quality mark, participate in special marketing programs of the Russian Export Center, collective exhibitions at international trade shows, business missions, and promotional campaigns on foreign e-commerce platforms. For Chinese buyers, the presence of the “Made in Russia” brand becomes an additional factor of trust, especially in the food segment.
In recent years, particular attention has been paid to the development of e-commerce. Russian companies receive support when listing their products on major Chinese marketplaces and B2B platforms, participate in online business missions and negotiations with importers organized by the Russian Export Center and the trade missions of the Russian Federation in China. This format allows Chinese importers, retail chains, and distributors to significantly reduce the costs of searching for suppliers, try products from Russian manufacturers directly in China, and negotiate the first shipment without involving a large number of intermediaries.
Among the advantages:
- compensation of transportation costs, ranging from 25–100%
- preferential lending. Short-term loans of up to 1 year for replenishing working capital and investment loans from 2–15 years for capital expenditures and modernization. In some cases, loan rates range around 0.5 of the Central Bank’s key rate + 2%
- export contract insurance
- assistance with certification in China.
What Exporter Support Measures Are Available in CIS Countries?
Thus, from May 2025 to May 2026, Uzbekistan shipped more than 5.6 thousand tonnes of pickled cucumbers and gherkins worth more than $4.6 million to Russia, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Kyrgyzstan, the United States, South Korea, Lithuania, Azerbaijan, and Mongolia. More than 84 tonnes of tomatoes worth over $70 thousand were shipped to the United States, Colombia, Sweden, Kazakhstan, Russia, and other countries. More than 27 thousand tonnes of dried vegetable mixes worth over $15 million were shipped to Kazakhstan, Russia, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, the United States, Germany, Costa Rica, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Turkey, and other countries.
The country’s proximity to China can significantly shorten product delivery times and reduce logistics costs.
In Uzbekistan, the government supports exporters through a number of measures. The main emphasis is placed on reducing exporters’ costs, developing non-resource exports, promoting national manufacturers in foreign markets, and digitalizing export activities. Support is provided through the Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade (MIIT), the Trade Development Company, the Export Headquarters, as well as sector-specific funds.
Among the support measures:
- Compensation of up to 50% of incurred transportation costs for exporters of fruit and vegetable products, textiles, finished food products, and high value-added products;
- Preferential pre-export financing with a 6-month grace period, allowing the exporter to repay the loan after completing the shipment;
- Compensation of expenses for international certification, laboratory testing, consulting services, and preparation of technical documentation.
- Financing participation in international exhibitions;
- Support for promoting products abroad. Chinese importers can reduce expenses on advertising, product promotion, and catalog creation through suppliers;
- Chinese importers, through their Uzbek partners, can receive compensation when opening a representative office in China. Compensation covers the rental of offices, retail premises, warehouses, and the organization of a trading house;
- The Government of Uzbekistan also finances trademark registration, international intellectual property protection, and brand registration abroad.
In turn, Kazakhstan is not lagging behind in vegetable exports. From June 2025 to June 2026, local producers exported almost 6 tonnes of pickled cucumbers and gherkins with a total value of $48 thousand to Tajikistan, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, Georgia, and other countries.
Kazakh suppliers shipped more than 150 tonnes of dried mixes made from carrots, onions, dill, garlic, and corn, with a total value exceeding $16 thousand, to Turkey and Uzbekistan.
Chinese importers have a number of advantages when working with suppliers from Kazakhstan, which receive the following support measures from the local government:
- Compensation of part of the costs of promoting products abroad, including international certification, trademark registration, laboratory testing, market research, advertising and product promotion, development of export catalogs, translation of technical documentation, packaging creation, and promotion through e-commerce platforms;
- Export financing: pre-export financing, lending for export projects, financing foreign buyers of Kazakh products, replenishment of working capital for export enterprises, and long-term financing of major export contracts.
Thus, importing vegetables into China is more profitable from Russia and CIS countries*. The G2R platform will help Chinese importers find verified suppliers offering high-quality products with unique flavor characteristics. To request supplier sourcing, you need to select the relevant product category card on the platform. After submitting an application, a personal manager will contact you and provide guidance on all questions.
*This does not constitute an investment strategy.