The 2018 Guangzhou International Fruit Expo, which kicked off in this Guangdong provincial capital on Wednesday, is expected to provide a good platform for Sino-foreign fruit growers and traders to further expand cooperation and increase sales in the vast Chinese mainland market.

Covering a floor space of more than 12,000 square meters in Guangzhou's Pazhou International Exhibition and Convention Center, more than 200 Chinese and foreign companies are displaying fresh fruits and related products to seek expansion of cooperation and sales in the mainland market, organizers said.

Meanwhile they will exchange views on fruit planting, growing, processing, trading and transporting during the three-day fair that will come to an end on Friday.

Hu Yuhua, CEO at Guangdong Grandeur International Exhibition Group, one of the expo organizers, urged domestic and foreign fruit companies and traders to join hands to further increase their presence in both the world and domestic fruit market in the years to come.

"The event has provided a good platform and Sino-foreign companies should grasp the opportunity," he said.

To this end, the 2018 World Fruit Summit Forum is also held to help boost Sino-foreign cooperation and promote sales during the event.

And fruit trade talks, special competitions for "the King of the World Fruit" and flower arrangements are also organized during the event. 

A local fruit business executive surnamed Liang said the event has built a platform for domestic companies to expand their Sino-foreign cooperation as it attracts a large number of participants and visitors from around the world and helps domestic companies increase their sales in the world market.

More than 20,000 buyers and business representatives from around the world visited the event in the first day.

Earlier this month, companies from home and abroad had signed cooperative and trade contracts valued at more than 300 million yuan during the 2018 Luxuries Feast and China Guangzhou International Boat, RV, General Aviation Expo. More than 15,000 business representatives had visited the event that took place in this southern metropolis between June 22 and 24.