Chris Connell, SVP perishables North America at Commodity Forwarders, predicts a higher yield of larger fruit for export this year, with around 23 million 20lb boxes or 207,000 tonnes exported to Asia.
However, the quality of the crop was uneven, and foreign purchasers were less enthusiastic than expected. The dollar's strength and the escaping lockdowns in key Asian markets contributed to the price-sensitive nature of markets.
The Vietnamese market has continued to grow, while European retailers and importers have been buying more cherries from Turkey and Spain.
US cherry growers are now focusing more on the home market due to the more competitive international markets. Cathay Pacific raised the weekly freighter frequency to the Pacific northwest to meet extra loads, but there was no discernible increase in total freighter activity. Other US perishable exports, such as blueberry, also struggled this year due to quality issues.
Read the full article: The Load Star
Immagine: Good Fruit Growers
23 Jun 2026
The first PDO picota cherries from Valle del Jerte have received seasonal certification. In Extremadura, the campaign begins with strong prospects for quality and volume, despite rain damage affecting some cherry varieties protected by the Cereza del Jerte PDO label.
21 Jul 2026
INDUSER and ICOEL strengthen Italy’s fresh produce industry through a strategic alliance focused on automation, associative weighing and multi-format packaging. The partnership combines technology, local support and solutions for cherries, blueberries and other produce.
14 Oct 2026
Chile forecasts 727,000 tonnes of cherries in 2026/27, with around 20% of the crop potentially destined for processing. The record harvest could boost supplies of IQF frozen, sulfited and dried cherries as exporters diversify beyond Chinese market and other destinations.
14 Oct 2026
In Armenia, Naughty Orchards grows early cherries on 80 ha using Italian varieties Carmen, Sweet Gabriel and Sweet Lorenz. Following its first major harvest in 2026, the company targets 2,000 tonnes and export markets across Europe and the Gulf, with its own cold chain.
