Published: July 23, 2026 | Author: Nadira Aziz
Why you can trust this Xinjiang dried-fruits guide
I have spent the better part of eight years writing about food markets across northwest China, and Xinjiang dried fruits are the souvenir I end up packing for friends more than anything else. On my first trip in 2017 I hauled six kilos of raisins through three airports; by my fourth visit in 2024 I had learned which stalls vacuum-seal properly and which ones quietly pass off last year’s stock. This guide collects what actually works when you shop for nuts and dried fruit in the region, drawn from markets I have walked myself.
Every figure below comes from standing at the counter, asking the price, and tasting. Where I give a number it is a price I was quoted or paid, not a tourism brochure estimate. Xinjiang’s weather, dry and sunny for most of the year, is exactly what concentrates the sugar in the fruit, so the produce here really does taste different from the supermarket packs back home.
Quick reference:
| Item | Best known for | Typical price (RMB / 500 g) | Peak season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seedless raisins (无核白) | Turpan | 18–40 | Aug–Oct |
| Red & green raisins | Turpan, Hami | 20–45 | Sep–Nov |
| Walnuts (柳桂) | Hotan, Yili | 22–38 | Sep–Oct |
| Almonds / badam (巴於木) | Hotan | 50–90 | Year-round |
| Dried apricots (杨干) | Hami, Turpan | 25–45 | Jul–Sep |
| Red dates / jujube (红桌) | Ruoqiang, Hotan | 30–70 | Oct–Nov |
| Dried figs (无花果干) | Artux (Atushi) | 60–120 | Aug–Sep |
| Apricot wrapped around almond (杨包仁) | Korla, Turpan | 45–80 | Year-round |
What I learned buying dried fruit in Xinjiang
The moment that changed how I shop happened in Turpan in September 2019. I had read that Turpan grows the best grapes in China, but reading and standing inside a yin fang (莑房, the mud-brick grape-drying hut with holes in the walls) are different things. Our host pulled a cluster of wuhe bai raisins off the rack, still warm from the sun, and handed them over. They were chewy, not the hard sugary dots I knew from Europe. That is when I understood why people here buy raisins by the sack rather than the bag.
A second lesson came in Hotan in 2022. I bought “fresh” walnuts from a stall near the jade bazaar and cracked one open to find it had already turned slightly bitter, a sign it had been stored too long. The vendor shrugged and pointed at a sealed factory pack instead. Since then I only buy nuts in vacuum-sealed bags with a production date printed on them, and I ask to crack one open before I commit to a kilo.
The third thing is about figs. In Artux, just outside Kashgar, the green figs are dried whole on screens in family courtyards. The good ones are sticky and dark; pale, dry ones have been over-dried or are old. I now taste one before any haggling starts.
Getting to the markets
Most visitors start at the Urumqi International Bazaar, which sits at Erdaoqiao in the city center. A taxi from the station costs about 20 RMB, and the metro’s Line 1 stops a short walk away. The bazaar’s underground food hall has rows of dried-fruit counters where you can sample before buying, which is the easiest place to learn the differences between raisin grades.
For a bigger, rougher experience, the Kashgar Sunday Market is hard to beat. It runs only on Sundays, and the dried-fruit section opens around 9 a.m. Get there before noon if you want the best pick, because tour groups clear the good figs and dates by early afternoon. If you are already in Kashgar, pair it with a walk through the old city, where smaller shops sell the same goods with less crowding.
Carrying it all home is the real transport question. Chinese domestic flights are strict about checked-baggage weight, and a full suitcase of walnuts is heavy. I vacuum-pack at the stall (most bazaar vendors have a machine) and ship a box home by courier when I buy more than ten kilos. SF Express ships within China for a few dozen RMB per 5 kg box.
The best months to shop
Timing matters more than people expect. Raisins are dried right after the grape harvest, so August through October is when Turpan stalls are full of this year’s stock. Walnuts and red dates come off the trees in September and October; buy then and you get the fresh, oily kernels rather than something that has sat in a warehouse. Dried figs peak in late August and September in Artux. Apricots are best in July and August. If you visit in winter, the shelves are still stocked but you are buying the previous autumn’s crop, which is fine for most items but noticeable with figs.
Where to stay for a shopping trip
You do not need to plan a whole holiday around dried fruit, but location helps. In Urumqi, hotels around Erdaoqiao put the International Bazaar within walking distance, so you can drop bags back at the room between buys. In Kashgar, a guesthouse inside or next to the old city means a short ride to the Sunday market and cooler early-morning bargaining. In Hotan, staying near the night market lets you compare daytime bazaar prices with evening street stalls.
The dried fruits and nuts worth carrying home
This is the list I send to friends before they fly out.
Raisins (菜萄干). Turpan wuhe bai seedless raisins are the safe bet: small, pale green, and sweet without being cloying. Red raisins (hong ti) are darker and a little tart; black raisins (hei jialun, actually blackcurrant raisins) are chewy and strong. Buy the ones still on the stem if you can, they keep better.
Walnuts (柳桂). Hotan walnuts have thin shells and a mild, sweet kernel. Look for whole nuts, not pre-broken pieces, and check the date. Yili walnuts are larger and oilier.
Almonds or badam (巴於木). Hotan badam is technically an almond, not a true Mediterranean nut. The thin-shell variety cracks with your fingers. Salted or honey-roasted versions travel well but plain raw ones keep longest.
Red dates / jujube (红桌). Ruoqiang jujube (若奓红桌) is small, dark, and very sweet; Hotan jujube (和申大桌) is bigger and meatier. Both are used in Chinese soups and teas back home, so they make an easy gift.
Dried apricots (杨干). Hami and Turpan produce soft, tangy apricots. Avoid the bright orange imported-style ones treated with sulfur; the local sun-dried version is brown and wrinkled but tastes like fruit.
Dried figs (无芳果干). Artux figs are the regional specialty. Sticky and seed-studded, they are nothing like the crunchy Turkish figs in Western shops. Buy from a stall that lets you taste.
Apricot wrapped around almond (杨包仁). A dried apricot pressed around an almond kernel. Korla and Turpan both make them; they are sweet, sour, and crunchy at once, and they pack without breaking.
Practical tips before you fill your suitcase
Taste first. Every honest stall will hand you a sample. If they refuse, move on.
Bargain, but not too hard. At the tourist bazaar, the first price is usually 40 to 60 percent above what locals pay. Offer two-thirds and meet somewhere in the middle. At a neighborhood wet market the gap is smaller.
Buy sealed for flights. Open sacks spill and smell. Ask for a vacuum seal; most vendors charge nothing or a few RMB.
Watch your home-country customs. Many countries let you bring commercially sealed dried fruit but restrict nuts, especially in shell, and anything with soil or seeds. Check your agriculture rules before you buy ten kilos of walnuts. Declare everything; a fine is cheaper than a confiscated suitcase.
Skip the gift boxes. The ornate mixed hampers near the bazaar entrance look impressive and cost double. Plain packs of one item taste the same and leave room in your bag.
Weigh before you pay. A “jin” is 500 grams. Prices are almost always quoted per jin, not per kilogram, a detail that tripped me up on my second trip.
A one-day dried-fruit crawl
If you have a single day in Urumqi, here is the loop I use. Start at the International Bazaar food hall at 10 a.m. and work the raisin and date counters, tasting as you go. Around noon, walk to the nearby wet market behind the bazaar for walnuts and badam at local prices. Eat lunch at a naan stall and pair it with dried figs. In the afternoon, have your buys vacuum-sealed and ship the surplus by courier. If your trip covers Kashgar, swap the whole plan for the Sunday market instead; it is bigger and cheaper, just busier.
Frequently asked questions
Can I bring Xinjiang dried fruits home? Commercially sealed dried fruit is allowed into most countries, but nuts, especially in-shell, are often restricted. Check your destination’s agriculture rules and declare all food at customs.
Are they expensive? Raisins run about 18–45 RMB per 500 g, walnuts 22–38, dates 30–70, and figs 60–120. Bazaar prices run higher than neighborhood markets, so shop around.
Which raisin should I buy? Turpan seedless (wuhe bai) is the crowd-pleaser: sweet, small, and versatile. Red and black raisins suit baking and snacking respectively.
How do I tell fresh from old? Taste one. Fresh walnuts snap clean and taste sweet; old ones are rubbery or bitter. Fresh figs are sticky and dark; pale dry ones are old.
What is the best market for a first-time visitor? The Urumqi International Bazaar is the easiest and most sample-friendly. The Kashgar Sunday Market is cheaper and bigger but only runs on Sundays.
Disclaimer: Prices and market hours in this article reflect what the author observed between 2017 and 2024 and change with the season and exchange rate. Always confirm current prices, opening days, and your home country’s food-import rules before you travel or buy in bulk. This article is for planning only and is not formal customs or legal advice.
About the author
Nadira Aziz is a Urumqi-based food writer and culinary tour guide who has spent eight years documenting the markets of Xinjiang, from the raisin racks of Turpan to the fig courtyards of Artux. She has led small-group market walks for visitors since 2019 and writes a regular column on Northwest Chinese home cooking. Her work has appeared in regional travel magazines, and she tastes every item she recommends.
