(Yicai) Nov 11 -- At the 8th China International Import Expo, companies from Latin America explored opportunities in China’s expanding “scent consumption” market, bringing regional specialties such as Palo Santo wood and fresh flowers to attract Chinese buyers.

Jesus Carrascal, who runs Aroma & Paz, a major Palo Santo product exporter in Peru, said his first appearance at the CIIE gave him strong confidence in China’s market potential. Palo Santo, or “holy wood,” is a fragrant wood traditionally used in South America for spiritual and therapeutic purposes. The trade expo concluded in Shanghai yesterday.

All 3,000 boxes of Aroma & Paz's Palo Santo incense were sold out, and the company is now negotiating with more than 10 importers, Carrascal told Yicai. The firm currently exports eight to nine tons of Palo Santo to China each year, but after this CIIE, it expects exports to reach 15 tons next year, he added.

The Peruvian Exporters Association led 11 small and medium-sized enterprises to this year’s expo, with a notable presence from fresh produce exporters. Blueberries, avocados, and mangoes from Peru were shipped directly to the CIIE via the Port of Chancay in Peru.

As a key Belt and Road Initiative project between China and Peru, the Chancay Port has cut one-way shipping time from Peru to China from over 30 days to just 23 days, reducing logistics costs by more than 20 percent.

The opening of Chancay Port has greatly shortened transit time, benefiting the fresh fruit trade most, as delivery speed directly affects fruit ripeness and prices, a representative from the Economic and Commercial Office of the Peruvian Embassy in China told Yicai.

Ecuadorian firms also made a strong showing, bringing their famous tinted Nebula roses. A staff member from the commercial office of the Embassy of Ecuador in China said over 10 Ecuadorian companies participated this year, showcasing products including white shrimp, cocoa, and flowers.

Although imported Ecuadorian flowers are typically priced higher due to short shelf life and high shipping costs, a free trade agreement signed between China and Ecuador in 2023 is gradually removing such barriers, per the official. After taking effect last year, the deal means that tariffs on 90 percent of goods will be gradually eliminated, and those on agricultural products such as flowers will be reduced from the current 5 percent to 20 percent down to zero.

Data from China’s General Administration of Customs show that in the first three quarters of this year, China-Ecuador bilateral trade reached USD12.9 billion, up 26 percent from the same period in 2024. China’s imports from Ecuador totaled USD7.3 billion, an increase of 24 percent year on year.

Editor: Emmi Laine