1353 containers of Chilean cherries arrive in China 28 days late

24 Feb 2025
1003

The container ship Saltoro, operated by Maersk, has finally arrived at Nansha Port, China, 28 days late after a breakdown in the Pacific.

Part of the Cherry Express service, the vessel was carrying 1,353 containers of cherries from Chile to China for the Lunar New Year celebrations.

Concerns over fruit quality

Despite maintaining cold chain integrity, Antonio Walker, president of Chile’s National Agriculture Association, inspected the cargo and reported the fruit had arrived in poor condition.

Walker warned that China might reject the shipment. Maersk and Chinese Customs are currently discussing the next steps.

Víctor Catán, president of Fedefruta, estimated losses could exceed $100 million (€92 million), heavily impacting small farmers who rely on this income.

Maersk Saltoro

Delays and customs issues

According to Claudio Aguilar, CEO of RSK, as of February 18, 2025, no containers had been released. Only 100+ containers were unloaded, with 12 under inspection.

Maersk proposed unloading the remaining 1,200+ containers in China, but Chinese Customs refused due to food safety concerns.

The main issues are potential food safety risks and limited disposal capacity, as Nansha Customs can only process 6–10 shipments per day.

Impact on Chile's cherry industry

The Saltoro crisis is a major setback for Chile's cherry industry. Prices in China had already dropped before the Lunar New Year due to record shipment volumes.

With new orchards still maturing, Chilean exports are expected to grow in the coming years.

"We need a deep analysis to learn from this. The market handled 83 million boxes well, but 115 million was too much," Walker said.

Exploring new markets

While diversification has been discussed, China’s high prices have kept exporters focused on this market.

However, after this season, efforts to open new markets will intensify, with India, the Middle East, and North Africa as potential destinations.

Read full article: Fruitnet


Cherry Times - All rights reserved

What to read next

The first season to start is Turkish: high yields and quality are expected

Production

25 Apr 2024

‘We had the first harvest on 13 April and today is the third,’ says Ilyas Coşkuner, a local producer. ‘We are optimistic about both the yield and market prices. The 30 kg of cherries belonging to İlyas Coşkuner were bought at the symbolic price of 500 lira per kg.

High quality and excellent sizes are what to expect for the Turkish season

Production

05 Jun 2024

‘Although we have lost important volumes, we expect to have good quality and larger cherries than in previous years,’ says Yigit Gokyigit, of Alanar Fruit. ‘We will be able to harvest up to 400 tonnes of cherries from our orchards.

In evidenza

Cherries and agrivoltaics: Swiss innovation combines energy and crop protection

Covers

20 Jun 2025

In Leuggern, a 1,300-panel agrivoltaic system is being built over a cherry orchard: shielding from hail, heat, and frost, dynamic light control, and 800 MWh annually. The “insolagrin” tech cuts pesticide use and enhances the resilience of field-grown cherry crops.

Early cherry varieties in Spain: ANA Chile® explores new promising genotypes

Varieties

20 Jun 2025

During the 2025 Technical Tour in Spain, ANA Chile® evaluated very early and low-chill cherry varieties, already present in Chile. Selections like the promising Selection 10 and Ibergen genotypes showed excellent quality, productivity, and commercial potential.

Tag Popolari