The global cherry exports have shown a trend of sustained growth in recent years, rising from $3.089 billion in 2019 to a peak of $4.514 billion in 2022, mainly due to the strong demand from Asian markets like China. In 2023, however, these exports saw a 13.5% decline, reaching $3.903 billion.
Chile: World Leader in Cherry Exports
In 2023, Chile exported $2.050 billion, showing a slight decrease from the $2.128 billion exported in 2022. Despite this slight drop, Chile remains the world's top supplier, mainly catering to the Chinese market, where cherries are highly valued, especially during holidays like the Lunar New Year.
The export of Chilean cherries is concentrated between November and March, taking advantage of the off-season in the Northern Hemisphere. Chile accounts for over 50% of the world's cherry exports.
United States: A Stable Competitor in the Global Market
The United States' cherry exports in 2023 reached $457 million. Although the figures are significantly lower than Chile's, the United States remains an important player, exporting mainly to Canada, South Korea, and China. The harvest season runs from June to August.
Hong Kong, China: A Key Redistribution Market
Hong Kong continues to play an important role, re-exporting cherries to China. In 2023, its exports were $418 million, down from $1.288 billion in 2022.
Turkey
Turkey remains a key exporter in Europe, with exports reaching $214 million in 2023. Turkey has shown stability in recent years, with similar figures to the $134 million exported in 2022. Turkey continues to benefit from its proximity to European and Russian markets, as well as a harvest season that coincides with the high demand in the Northern Hemisphere summer. Cherry exports mainly take place from May to July.
Spain
Spanish cherry exports have seen significant growth, reaching $138 million in 2023, compared to $96 million in 2022. Spain has improved its position in the European market, consolidating its status as a reliable cherry exporter, particularly in markets like Germany, Italy, France, and the United Kingdom. The regions of Extremadura and Aragón are famous for their high-quality cherry varieties.
Other notable exporters included Austria, Greece, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada.
Image 1: Top 10 Exporting Countries in 2023. Source: Fluctuante.
Discover the complete graph here
Source: Portal Frutícola
Image: SL Fruit Service
30 Oct 2024
"Most traditional cherries need a minimum of 800 hours of chilling, but our low-chilling varieties can produce fruit with less than half of those hours. This opens up cultivation opportunities in areas with milder winters."
15 Apr 2026
A study from Universidad de Concepcion in Chile examines controlled deficit irrigation in post-harvest “Santina” cherry orchards, highlighting effects on plant physiology, yield, and soil microbiota without significant productivity losses and improving water use efficiency.
13 May 2026
A Serbian study on eight sweet cherry genotypes shows how temperature, pollen germination and pollen tube growth affect fertility and fruit set. ‘Lapins’, ‘Canetova’ and ‘G-2’ stand out as more stable, resilient cultivars under changing climate trends in orchards.
13 May 2026
Chile’s cherry industry is facing increasing financial pressure after seasons marked by oversupply, lower returns and strong reliance on China. Legal, contractual and corporate risks are now growing across the export chain, affecting growers, exporters and trade stability.
