From Argentina an intelligent cherry to protect the quality of the harvest

25 Oct 2024
784

So far, in 2024, Argentina has exported 7,210 tons of cherries to Europe, the United States, Hong Kong, Singapore, and China, with an average price of 4 dollars per kilo, according to the Argentine Chamber of Integrated Cherry Producers (CAPCI). To maintain this commercial value and improve the quality of the cherries destined for export, a team of INTA specialists developed an electronic cherry that records the points where the fruit is hit and allows processes to be improved.

“To reduce as much as possible the damage sustained by the cherry during the packaging and final transport stages, we developed an electronic cherry with sensors that go through the processes alongside the rest of the fruit and report the movements and impacts the fruit receives,” explained Andrés Moltoni, head of the INTA Agroelectronics Laboratory.

According to the expert, during packaging and transport processes, cherries receive hits that later cause surface damage to the fruit - the so-called pitting - which reduce its commercial value.

“On average, 5% of cherries are lost due to pitting,” and he did not hesitate to estimate that ‘the application of this technology allows for process improvement and proper decision-making could lead to a 50% reduction in losses, that is, 2.5% of all exported cherries, amounting to 180,000 kilos, which is equivalent to 720,000 dollars.’

In this regard, Liliana San Martino - a researcher at INTA Los Antiguos, Santa Cruz - took a step further, recognizing that “losses due to pitting in packaging plants can vary between 10 and 40%, according to recent INTA tests.”

According to the specialist, “cherries are a very delicate fruit that requires careful handling and that shows the consequences of mistreatment up to 3 weeks after receiving the impact, that is, at the destination.” Hence the importance of reducing this impact.

A Technology as Small as It Is Innovative

The electronic cherry is a prototype not yet available for packaging centers. It is a second updated version that, according to the INTA electronics engineer, incorporates innovations such as a wireless Bluetooth transmitter, which allows the cherry to connect to a mobile device, and a rechargeable lithium battery with dimensions and weight suitable for the prototype's needs.

At the same time, the new version of the electronic cherry is equipped with an accelerometer with a greater scale background to record impacts. “The encapsulation covering the equipment was also improved, for which a 3D print was carried out, and several materials were tested, from hard plastics to flexible materials with different thicknesses, until finding the combination that achieved the best results in the measurements,” explained Moltoni.

Source: Norte
Image: Norte


Cherry Times - All Rights Reserved

What to read next

Spain and China open exports: historic cherry protocol gives Spain access to China

Markets

18 Apr 2025

Spain and China have signed a phytosanitary protocol that opens the Chinese market to Spanish cherries for the first time. A strategic agreement offering new export opportunities, with high standards in quality, traceability, and mandatory cold treatment.

France: national production to increase by +10% in 2024

Production

25 Jun 2024

As of 1 June, 2024 production was estimated at 37,000 tonnes, an increase of 10% over the previous year and 21% over the average harvest from 2019 to 2023. The start of the campaign is in line with last year, with bad weather reducing the market supply.

In evidenza

Germany's 2025 cherry harvest surges 41% over 2024, Above Average

Production

11 Jul 2025

Germany’s 2025 cherry harvest is projected at 49,900 tons, marking a 41% increase from 2024 and 10.4% above the 10-year average. Sweet cherries (Süßkirschen) show strong growth, while sour cherries (Sauerkirschen) also rebound. Favorable spring conditions boosted yields.

Ganaspis kimorum survives winter: new biocontrol against Drosophila suzukii in Michigan

Crop protection

11 Jul 2025

Ganaspis kimorum, a parasitoid wasp, demonstrates strong overwintering ability in Michigan cherry and blueberry orchards. This finding supports its potential as a reliable biocontrol agent against Drosophila suzukii and for establishing stable populations across growing regions.

Tag Popolari