On December 15, one tonne of pineapples from Benin arrived at Changsha Airport Port on an inbound flight. This marked Hunan’s first import of the product and represents further progress in agricultural trade between Hunan and Africa. 

The shipment departed from a local airport in Benin and arrived in Changsha after transiting through Ethiopia, with the entire journey taking 17 hours. After inspection by Changsha Huanghua Airport Customs, the pineapples were cleared and released at 6:00 p.m. the same day and entered the domestic market. In accordance with relevant Chinese policies, the shipment was granted zero-tariff treatment, significantly reducing trade costs for the importing enterprise.

According to the importer, Hunan Zhongjianda International Trading Co., Ltd., Benin is the fourth-largest pineapple exporter in Africa, with an annual output of around 400,000 tonnes, and its products have previously been supplied mainly to the European market. Beninese pineapples, known for their white flesh and high sweetness, received positive feedback when they were showcased at the China International Import Expo in Shanghai in 2023 and are often referred to as Africa’s “sweet bread”. The importer said the shipment will be sold through chain supermarkets and fruit stores both within and outside the province, and that import volumes are expected to expand further.

To ensure the smooth import of Beninese pineapples, Changsha Huanghua Airport Customs provided full-process services, including policy consultation, procedural facilitation and customs clearance support, through its fast-track clearance mechanism. Supervision plans were prepared in advance, and flight movements were monitored in real time. Upon arrival, customs officers promptly verified relevant documents and conducted inspections, enabling swift clearance. An official with Changsha Huanghua Airport Customs said that the regularized import of Beninese pineapples will further support Changsha’s efforts to build a national air-hub distribution center for imported fresh produce and will help create more efficient channels for agricultural trade cooperation between Hunan and Africa.

According to statistics from Changsha Customs,Hunan’s trade with Africa totaled 53.99 billion CNY in the first 11 months of 2025, up 14.3 percent year on year. Imports of agricultural products from Africa reached 460 million CNY, an increase of 19.4 percent over the same period last year.

Translated by : Chen Yu

Disclaimer:

This is an English translation of the original Chinese version and is provided for reference only. In the event of any discrepancy, the Chinese version shall prevail.