For Macfrut 2023 it was an honour to host during the WS cherry tree Prof. Marlene Ayala of the Catholic University of Chile, the person in charge of the main genetic improvement project on the cherry tree, started in 2010 and carried out in the largest cherry exporting country in the world, as well as the third largest cherry producer in the world and, so far at least, among the first importers of technological and varietal innovations.
Thanks to PMGC, the breeding programme supported by ASOEX - Consorcio Tecnologico de la Fruta and CORFO, a group of Chilean fruit producers and exporters, by 2030 Chile will be able to grow its own varieties and, probably, start exporting not only cherries but also new plant patents!
Below is the video of the report presented at Macfrut 2023.
Up to the sixth week, 82,452,392 five-kilo cases of cherries were exported in the 2023/2024 season, and although this figure is lower than the 83,220,842 cases exported in the 2022/2023 season, the figures are predictable after a difficult year for producers.
At the beginning of the flowering, everything promised a big harvest, but the May rains and high humidity caused the fruit to start rotting. This is why cherry prices are higher this year, reaching 30 somoni (€2.60) in the capital.
From July 15 to August 15, Canadian Cherry Month encourages shoppers to check labels, bags and store signs before buying Canadian sweet cherries. The BC Cherry Association campaign supports local growers and promotes the Flip & Share contest with weekly prizes available.
A study of three Hungarian sour cherry cultivars examines how ripening, sugars, organic acids, vitamin C, anthocyanins, polyphenols and melatonin shape fruit quality, nutraceutical value and the best harvest time for fresh markets and industrial processing applications.