On Thursday, April 25th, Chile became the global center for cherries. Over 1,400 participants from various sectors of the national and international industry gathered at the Monticello Events Center in Santiago to celebrate the fifth edition of the Global Cherry Summit.
Organized by Yentzen Group and the Chilean Committee for Fruit Cherries (formerly ASOEX), the event has become the world's most important gathering on cherries, with a large delegation from China participating, including the Chinese ambassador to Chile, Niu Qingbao.
National and international speakers shared various topics with attendees, including the analysis of the Chilean cherry market, climate projections for the 2024-2025 period, the current market scenario in China and its challenges, as well as strategies from the New Zealand giant Zespri.
Similarly, brand recall in the Asian giant has risen from 73% to 84%. "Today, no one can deny that Chile in China is more recognized thanks to our 'ambassador', the cherry," it was declared. It was also emphasized that the number of exporters has increased from seven - producing over 100 containers - to more than 50. It was also highlighted that the relationship between public and private sectors has improved.
Furthermore, the public-private partnership was emphasized, for example with SAG, which has served the industry regarding phytosanitary issues and the development of online inspections, improving efficiency and reducing packing/shipping times.
"In the past, direct shipments were made to two Chinese ports, while in the last two seasons, it was seven," it was specified.
Among the challenges, Tagle indicated that the industry must continue to work on phytosanitary issues, safeguarding the frontier in a public-private alliance: "We must understand that a business initiative, no matter how bold it may be, that jeopardizes the health security of the industry in markets, compromises the future of a specific industry."
At the same time, it was commented that changes in population - highs and lows - must be taken into account, and therefore the number of consumers.
"In the case of China, it is predicted that the population may decrease in the next decade, but what is clear is that the new consumer we will have to supply will have more purchasing power, more knowledge to choose what to buy, and, in this scenario, producing high-quality cherries, consistently and with sustainability in mind, is something fundamental," it was concluded.
Source: Martinez&Valdivieso
Image: Global Cherry Summit
22 May 2025
Washington Fruit Growers unveils a new cherry packing line developed with Unitec. The facility boosts production capacity and brings in advanced technology to ensure quality, flexibility, and speed in meeting the growing global market demand.
10 Sep 2026
Drought and high temperatures cut the cherry harvest in the Czech Republic: at Mendel University in Brno, production fell by 16% and some fruit was up to half its usual size, making irrigation increasingly crucial for maintaining stable cherry production in coming year.
26 Oct 2026
Godolesh, near Elbasan in Albania, is a distinctive cherry-growing area. Its native variety, annual output of around 700 tonnes and sustainable practices support ambitions to reach European markets, from Italy to Germany, building on quality, origin and tradition.
23 Oct 2026
Spring rains in Chile have split early cherries in the north, while damage in O’Higgins, which accounts for over 80% of production, remains marginal so far. Growers are monitoring fungal disease, saturated soils and potential impacts on Chile’s 2026/27 cherry crop.
