HOHHOT - Thanks to China's expanding freight service network, exports of fresh fruit and vegetables to Russia soared in the first five months, according to figures released by the customs in North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region.

Among the region's two major land checkpoints that process exports bound for Russia, Manzhouli Customs recorded cargo worth $101 million during the period, up 42.15 percent year on year.

The checkpoint began processing fresh fruit and vegetable freight in March last year. Trains take the cargo to Russia's Novosibirsk, where it is then distributed around Russia.

Moreover, from November last year, trains with refrigerated facilities began traveling through the checkpoint, taking China's fresh goods directly to Moscow.

Customs official Lu Huanxin said that thanks to these new freight services his department processed 1,851.36 tons of fresh produce last year.

Meanwhile, Erlianhaote Customs cleared 1,024.7 tons of fresh produce exports to Russia in the first five months, 11.1 times higher than the same period last year.

Zhang Wenchuan, a trader, said he exported citrus grown in central China's Hubei Province to Russia via Erlianhaote.

"The new refrigerated trains can carry 200 tons of fruit at a time," he explained.

Russia's long winters create an export opportunity for Chinese farmers,and Chinese logistics firms are keen to explore China-Russia trade.

Railway authorities in Erlianhaote promised to continue to improve their service to help the transportation of fresh fruit and vegetables.