Rabobank's Gonzalo Salinas is closely monitoring global trends in the cherry trade as the Southern Hemisphere prepares for the 2023/24 season. The industry faces mixed fortunes as 2023 concludes, with challenges in Northern Hemisphere regions and optimism in the South.
Chile, a key Southern Hemisphere player, sees rising cherry production despite initial double-digit growth predictions not materializing. The season began strongly, with exceptional prices for early shipments to China. Chile focuses on early varieties like Santina, Lapin, and Regina, with efforts to diversify markets beyond China to Vietnam, Thailand, and India.
Australia and New Zealand anticipate strong seasons with improved weather conditions. Argentina complements Chile's supply, exploring new varieties. In the Northern Hemisphere, the U.S. recovers from a short crop, while Europe sees high prices due to lower production.
A common trend is the push to expand production windows, especially in the early season, to capitalize on premium prices. Salinas sees potential challenges if Northern and Southern Hemisphere suppliers directly compete. Peru's emergence as a cherry producer is on the horizon, potentially bridging the gap between hemispheres. Despite a few years before becoming a reality, there's growing interest in developing Peruvian supply.
In summary, the cherry industry navigates challenges and opportunities. Chile leads in the Southern Hemisphere, diversifying markets, while the Northern Hemisphere adapts to varying outcomes. Expanding production windows is a shared strategy, and Peru's potential role adds an intriguing dimension to the evolving cherry trade.
Red full article here: Fresh Focus Cherry
Photo: Karsten Bergmann from Pixabay
28 May 2024
Ovalle was once again the capital of early cherries. Organised by Susttex, the Cerezas Primores seminar brought together producers, companies, academics and people interested in cherry cultivation in the Coquimbo region for the third year running.
05 Aug 2025
In Teno, Maule Region, Chile, an agrivoltaic project integrates cherry orchards with solar panels. The goal is to optimize water use, enhance export quality, and generate clean energy, opening new sustainable opportunities for agriculture in challenging climates.
30 Jan 2026
A new study from Turkey explores sweet cherry grafting compatibility using advanced tools like PCA, Random Forest and SHAP. Gisela 6 and local genotypes show promising integration for improved selection methods in cherry cultivation and rootstock choice.
30 Jan 2026
Chilean cherries face a tough 2026 season in China: early varieties, quality issues, and a late Lunar New Year impact demand and prices. Insights from Joy Wing Mau Group and outlook for alternative Asian markets like Vietnam, Taiwan, South Korea and Singapore.
