Court Orders Payment of CNY 674.90 in Peach Sale Dispute

A dispute over unpaid peach deliveries has been resolved by a court in Central China City, ordering a buyer to pay a farmer CNY 674.90 for fruit supplied during the 2011 harvest season. The plaintiff, a local farmer, sought repayment after the defendant, who had publicly called for peach deliveries, failed to settle the amount. The court ruled in favor of the farmer, citing a valid sales contract and the defendant’s breach of payment obligations.

The case involved Mr. Wang, a farmer from a village in Central China City, and Mr. Zhang, a fellow villager who operated a peach collection point. In 2011, during the peach harvest season, Mr. Zhang used the village broadcast system to announce that residents could deliver their peaches to him. Mr. Wang made multiple deliveries, and Mr. Zhang issued handwritten receipts for each batch, totaling three receipts with a combined value of CNY 674.90. Despite repeated requests, Mr. Zhang did not pay the amount due.

During the hearing, the plaintiff’s representatives appeared in court, while the defendant did not attend despite proper notification. The plaintiff submitted the three original receipts as evidence of the deliveries and the amounts owed. Additionally, he provided a certificate from the village committee confirming that the defendant had indeed used the village broadcast to call for peach deliveries. The defendant offered no evidence or defense, and the court proceeded based on the plaintiff’s submissions.

The court found that the receipts and the village committee certificate were mutually corroborative and sufficiently proved the facts alleged by the plaintiff. Based on these documents, the court established that Mr. Wang had delivered peaches to Mr. Zhang, who accepted them and issued written acknowledgments. The court determined that a sales contract had been formed between the parties, and that Mr. Zhang had failed to perform his payment obligation. The court thus held that the defendant was in breach of contract.

Under the Contract Law of the People’s Republic of China, specifically Articles 6, 8, 60, and 159, a party to a contract must act in good faith, perform obligations as agreed, and pay the price for goods received. The court reasoned that Mr. Zhang’s public invitation for peach deliveries, followed by his acceptance of the goods and issuance of receipts, created a binding sales agreement. His failure to pay the CNY 674.90 constituted a clear breach, entitling the plaintiff to legal relief. The court also noted that the defendant’s absence did not prevent a just resolution.

This case illustrates a straightforward application of contract law to a small-scale agricultural transaction. The court ordered Mr. Zhang to pay the outstanding peach amount within three days of the judgment, plus double the interest for any delayed payment as required by law. The defendant was also ordered to bear the litigation fee of CNY 25. For farmers and small buyers, this ruling underscores the importance of documenting transactions with written receipts and the enforceability of oral agreements supported by such evidence.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.