Peach Panic: Why people in China are hoarding the canned yellow fruit

Since China suddenly eased its zero-COVID restrictions, people have resorted to stockpiling and panic buying fearing a wave of infections.

Besides cold or flu medicines, the sale of canned peaches rich in vitamin C has seen a spike.

In the last few days, the demand for yellow peach, which is considered a home remedy in the country, has soared both online and offline, reported South China Morning Post newspaper.

What is canned yellow peach that has seen a rise in demand in China? Which other items are being sought after in the Asian country? Let’s take a look.

Canned yellow peach

As per the newspaper, tinned yellow peaches are sweetened, fruity snacks rich in high sugar and vitamin C.

A can consists of slices of yellow peach flesh and sugar water.

The canned peach can be preserved for up to two years. It has become popular in northeastern China – where fruits are hard to grow due to the freezing cold – in the past three to four decades, a _South China Morning Pos_t report said.

The report added that it is given to people suffering from a cold or the flu to “aid recovery”.

South China Morning Post further noted that the tinned peach has been dubbed the “king of canned fruits” because peach sounds like the word “escape” in Mandarin, thus signifying that peaches will help in “escaping illness”.

As a newly reopened China scrambles to calm a medicine-buying frenzy, the country has found itself trying to curb the hoarding of another good: canned peaches. https://t.co/U3khez44uB pic.twitter.com/oar3Ctp0zz

— Business Insider SA🇿🇦 (@BISouthAfrica) December 13, 2022

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As per a China Daily report, netizens are calling yellow peach “the healing magic medicine” and the Chinese are vouching for it for “good health and strong immunity”.

People seeking ways to fight COVID-19 have been hoarding this canned good, which has been a “comfort food” for many children in the country, the report said.

“On some online shopping platforms, the demand for canned yellow peaches is rising so sharply that they are frequently labelled ‘out of stock’,” China Daily reported.

As per Sina News, rumours are doing rounds on social media that yellow peach can “relieve symptoms” of the coronavirus.

All this frenzy has led to manufacturers clarifying that canned yellow peaches do not have a medicinal effect.

Dalian Leasun Food, one of China’s largest canned food manufacturers, wrote in a Weibo post, “Canned yellow peaches ≠ medicines!”

“There is enough supply, so there is no need to panic. There is no rush to buy”, the company added, as per CNN.

The state media in China has also tried to set things straight.

The newspaper Beijing Youth Daily said in an editorial that the stockpiling of canned peaches exposes the public’s anxiety.

“Eating in moderation can make you happy and be good for your body, but it is not recommended to stock up on canned food blindly,” Insider cited the newspaper as saying.

The People’s Daily, the mouthpiece of the ruling Communist Party, has also tried to quell people’s misconceptions.

In a lengthy post on Weibo, the publication asked people not to hoard peaches, calling them “useless in alleviating symptoms of illness”, reported CNN.

“Prevent the pandemic with science, do not be misled by these rumors,” The People’s Daily said, as per Bloomberg.

ALSO READ: How China’s sudden switch from zero-COVID policy has burdened its hospitals

‘Not a substitute for medicines’

Experts have warned that consuming peaches excessively could “aggravate a cough”, as per BBC.

A virologist has said that food items cannot be a substitute for medicines.

Virologist Chang Rongshan told the Beijing News, “It can definitely play a psychosomatic role”.

“For patients who are weak, fruit is a terrific food for them to recover because of the high volume of vitamin C,” Chang was quoted as saying.

“Kiwi fruit and oranges contain more vitamin C than other fruit. People can eat some fruit, but not too much", the expert added.

Gao Xiaoling, a hospital deputy director in Shaanxi, told The People’s Daily, “Canned yellow peaches are not really a special medicine for fever and cough. It is more like a sweet ‘placebo’ like the cake you eat or the milk tea you drink when you are stressed”.

ALSO READ: Why China ending zero-COVID rules may lead to over a million deaths

Panic buying in China

Many pharmacies and drugstores across major Chinese cities are reporting shortages of antipyretics, especially ibuprofen and paracetamol, said Bloomberg.

COVID-19 testing kits are also in high demand.

As per _China Dail_y, there is “explosive growth in demand” for painkillers, vitamins and cold or flu medicines.

The People’s Daily has cautioned people against mixing medicines or taking more drugs to suppress a fever.

Amid the panic buying, Guangzhou city – where the highest number of infections have been reported in recent weeks – has called for “sensible purchasing”, BBC report said citing China Daily.

“There is no need for hoarding them in large quantities,” the city government said in a statement.

The Paper website noted that “consumer demand for vitamin C has skyrocketed”. The report said that lemon, “lemon-flavoured tea, lemon-flavoured sweets and lemon-flavoured sparkling water” have been sold out on some online shopping sites.

The demand for electrolyte water also saw a rise after it was promoted as “helpful with hydration after sweating or a fever”, BBC said citing Pear Video.

Meanwhile, the Beijing city government has acknowledged the “great pressure” it is facing to complete demand for drug and medical services because of people stockpiling medical supplies, reported CNN.

It has requested citizens not to hoard drugs or call emergency services if they do not have any symptoms.

With inputs from agencies

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