Argentina’s cherry season will start later than usual, with delays of between five and 15 days in the main growing areas due to the low temperatures recorded during spring. Aníbal Caminiti, general manager of the Argentine Chamber of Integrated Cherry Producers (CAPCI), told Portalfruticola.com.
Weather conditions over the coming weeks will be decisive in determining the final volume of fruit available for export and its quality.
The first commercial cherries, usually harvested in October, will not be available until early November, the executive said.
Mendoza
Around 15 days
Middle Valley of the Río Negro
Between 5 and 6 days
Río Negro and Neuquén
Around 10 days, with local variations
Chubut
Between 5 and 6 days
Southernmost areas
Expected impact: less pronounced
“In Mendoza, one of the earliest regions, the delay is about 15 days, while in the Middle Valley of the Río Negro it is estimated at between five and six days,” Caminiti said.
In the growing areas of Río Negro and Neuquén, where most of Argentina’s production and export supply is concentrated, the delay is around 10 days, with variations depending on the location, farm and varieties grown.
“In Chubut, the delay is between five and six days, while the impact is expected to be less pronounced in the southernmost areas,” he added.
Winter, however, was favorable for the crop, particularly in terms of the quality of the accumulated chill hours in July, Caminiti explained.
Conditions supported very positive flowering and fruit set across the growing regions, CAPCI’s general manager said. “In the areas of Río Negro and Neuquén, the fruit load has even been high enough to require thinning,” he noted.
On the production front, the current outlook is favorable. If weather conditions are optimal and no significant disruptions occur, Argentina could reach an exportable volume of close to 8,500 tonnes, with the possibility of exceeding that figure, Caminiti said.
Potential export volume
~8,500 tonnes
Projected year-on-year growth
~10%
First shipments expected
Late October to early November
With new orchards coming into production, the sector expects year-on-year growth of around 10%, he added.
However, the industry leader urged caution when considering these estimates. “Forecast rainfall, low temperatures and limited solar radiation during October, November and December are risk factors that could substantially alter the initial projections,” he commented.
“At this point, we are in a good position in terms of volume,” he said, while stressing that the final outcome will depend on weather conditions over the rest of the season, especially in the run-up to and during harvest.
In response to this outlook, growers are stepping up plant health monitoring and preventive treatments against fungal diseases, Caminiti explained.
On the commercial front, the first shipments of Argentine cherries overseas are expected between late October and early November, with China among the first destinations.
In a season marked by uncertainty, the main challenge will not simply be to achieve a specific production volume, but also to ensure the fruit reaches international markets in the condition and quality required by buyers, Caminiti noted.
He concluded by describing the season as particularly challenging for cherry production in the Southern Hemisphere, given the environmental conditions expected over the coming months.
Source: portalfruticola.com
Image source: Stefano Lugli
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