Portrait of a sweet cherry breeder: Gregorio Lopez-Ortega
18 Jan 2024
n this article, José Quero García, member of the technical-scientific committee of Cherry Times, interviewed Gregorio Lopez-Ortega, breeder at the Chilean company Hortifrut.
This season, weather conditions initially fuelled expectations of increased cherry exports, but the presence of El Niño affected flowering and fruit development. As a result, early varieties such as Royal Dawn and Santina were the hardest hit, while Lapins, Kordia and Regina showed greater resilience, exceeding last season's volumes.
Despite a slight 1% drop in shipments compared to the previous year, over 413,000 tonnes of cherries were shipped worldwide. The Far East was confirmed as the main destination, with China taking 97% of the total, followed by North America with 3%, Latin America with 2% and Europe with 1%.
The cherry season got off to an early start, but the harvest was initially delayed. However, as the season progressed, favourable weather conditions accelerated the harvest and consequently, exports. Fruits showed good quality parameters and condition, showing large calibre.
In China, the main market, demand remained robust throughout the season, with prices higher than the previous year. The best-selling varieties on the eve of the Chinese New Year were Lapins, Regina and Kordia, characterised by excellent quality and condition, as well as good availability. The high prices recorded during the Chinese festive season exceeded those of the 2022/23 season, indicating considerable consumer involvement.
To download the report with the data click here
Read the full article: Decofrut
Images: Decofrut
