中国“牛油果”进口飙升

 　　China’s soaring appetite for avocados, driven by demand from its burgeoning¹ health-conscious middle class, has made the “butter fruit” — unheard of a few years ago — the country’s star performer in the imported fruit market.

　　受中国注重健康的中产阶层日益扩大的需求的推动，中国对鳄梨的需求不断增加，使得在几年前闻所未闻的“牛油果”成了中国进口水果市场的明星水果。

　　Exports from Latin American nations such as Mexico and Chile are rising by about 250 per cent a year, leaping from just 154 tonnes in 2012 to more than 25,000 tonnes in 2016.

　　墨西哥和智利等拉美国家出口的鳄梨正以每年250%左右的速度增长，从2012年仅仅154吨的出口量增加至2016年的2.5万吨以上。

　　“More people are paying attention to healthy lifestyles and avocados meet that need,” said Zhang Hui, a sales manager at Fruitday, an online food delivery company.

　　“越来越多的人正在关注健康的生活方式，鳄梨满足了这种需求，”网上食品配送公司天天果园(Fruitday)的销售经理张慧（音）表示。

　　Even western fast-food brands such as KFC and McDonald’s are being forced to address the changing tastes of their affluent² consumers.

　　就连肯德基(KFC)和麦当劳(McDonald’s)等西方快餐品牌也在被迫迎合其富裕的消费者不断变化的口味。

　　Yum China, which operates 5,000 KFC stores in the country, last month launched an “avocado series” of chicken burgers and wraps slathered with guacamole to help upgrade the image of its fried chicken chain, sourcing the fruit from Mexico.

　　百胜中国(Yum China)在中国经营着5000家肯德基餐厅，上月它推出了牛油果系列鸡肉汉堡和鸡肉卷，用厚厚一层鳄梨酱来帮助提升其炸鸡连锁店的形象。该公司从墨西哥采购鳄梨。

　　“It’s viewed as something quite premium³ and healthy,” said Joey Wat, Yum China’s chief operations officer. A planned three-week avocado promotion⁴ ended early due to high demand.

　　“它被视为相当高级和健康的东西，”百胜中国首席运营官屈翠容(Joey Wat)表示。由于需求高涨，原本计划3周的鳄梨推广活动最终提前结束。

　　China has almost no experience in commercial avocado cultivation⁵, meaning imports are likely to dominate the market for years.

　　中国对鳄梨商业种植没有什么经验，这意味着未来多年内进口可能会主导鳄梨市场。

　　Mexico began exports to China in 2011, when the avocado was still “a very rare fruit”, according to Alejandro Salas, a Mexican trade commissioner⁶ in Shanghai. He predicts that Chinese demand will help Mexico diversify⁷ away from the US, its top market. “This market will be the second largest,” he said.

　　墨西哥驻上海领事馆商务领事夏涵(Alejandro Salas)介绍，墨西哥于2011年开始向中国出口鳄梨，当时鳄梨还是“一种非常罕见的水果”。他预计，中国对鳄梨的需求将帮助墨西哥的出口多元化，减少对其最大市场美国的依赖。“这个市场将是第二大市场，”他称。

　　Mexican officials have held events to promote the fruit, teaching chefs about avocado and tofu smoothies — but last year the country was overtaken by Chile as the dominant⁸ exporter to China. Chile has the advantage of a free-trade agreement with China, while Mexican fruit imports have a 10 per cent tariff⁹.

　　墨西哥官员多次举行活动推广鳄梨，教厨师制作鳄梨和豆腐冰沙——但去年智利取代墨西哥，成为主要的对华鳄梨出口国。智利拥有与中国订立自由贸易协定的优势，而墨西哥水果在中国面临10%的关税。

1 burgeoning   

adj.迅速成长的，迅速发展的v.发芽，抽枝( burgeon的现在分词 )；迅速发展；发（芽），抽（枝）

参考例句：

• Our company's business is burgeoning now. 我们公司的业务现在发展很迅速。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• These efforts were insufficient to contain the burgeoning crisis. 这些努力不足以抑制迅速扩散的危机。 来自辞典例句

2 affluent   

adj.富裕的，富有的，丰富的，富饶的

参考例句：

• He hails from an affluent background.他出身于一个富有的家庭。
• His parents were very affluent.他的父母很富裕。

3 premium   

n.加付款；赠品；adj.高级的；售价高的

参考例句：

• You have to pay a premium for express delivery.寄快递你得付额外费用。
• Fresh water was at a premium after the reservoir was contaminated.在水库被污染之后，清水便因稀而贵了。

4 promotion   

n.提升，晋级；促销，宣传

参考例句：

• The teacher conferred with the principal about Dick's promotion.教师与校长商谈了迪克的升级问题。
• The clerk was given a promotion and an increase in salary.那个职员升了级，加了薪。

5 cultivation   

n.耕作，培养，栽培（法），养成

参考例句：

• The cultivation in good taste is our main objective.培养高雅情趣是我们的主要目标。
• The land is not fertile enough to repay cultivation.这块土地不够肥沃，不值得耕种。

6 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

7 diversify   

v.（使）不同，（使）变得多样化

参考例句：

• Our company is trying to diversify.我们公司正力图往多样化方面发展。
• Hills and woods diversify the landscape.山陵和树木点缀景色。

8 dominant   

adj.支配的，统治的；占优势的；显性的；n.主因，要素，主要的人(或物)；显性基因

参考例句：

• The British were formerly dominant in India.英国人从前统治印度。
• She was a dominant figure in the French film industry.她在法国电影界是个举足轻重的人物。

9 tariff   

n.关税，税率；(旅馆、饭店等)价目表，收费表

参考例句：

• There is a very high tariff on jewelry.宝石类的关税率很高。
• The government is going to lower the tariff on importing cars.政府打算降低进口汽车的关税。