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.
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Source: Portal Frutícola
Image: SL Fruit Service
02 Jul 2024
Nicolás Zamorano, consultant for Asian markets, commented that in China, consumers 'were mainly trained on cherry varieties. Today the business is no longer global, but increasingly specific, along with the requirements customers have for each variety'.
04 Jan 2024
One advantage of cherry crop insurance, says Jennifer Wiggs, is that growers are already in the USDA database. Therefore, if programmes such as disaster relief funds are available, the application process will be easier.
20 Dec 2024
A recent study analyzed four sour cherry cultivars, two dark-fleshed varieties, "Heimann R" and "Gorsemska," and two light-fleshed ones, "Montmorency" and "V70142", to determine differences in metabolite composition and antioxidant activity.
20 Dec 2024
The Consorzio Fitosanitario di Modena is particularly engaged in various specialized research activities in favor of cherry producers. Among those, the one related to the annual monitoring of D. suzukii is considered one of the most important to guide technical consultants.
