The Chilean cherry industry is entering a new phase: growing by creating value. After decades of expansion, the sector is facing one of the most important challenges in its history.
This is because the steady increase in production, the sharp growth in shipments and the heavy reliance on the Chinese market have reduced the profitability of a sector that, for years, has been the main driver of Chile’s fruit exports.
To explore the contribution of academia, PortalFruticola.com interviewed Juan Pablo Zoffoli, professor at the Faculty of Agronomy and Natural Systems of the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile and a leading figure in postharvest research.
Zoffoli explained that the success achieved by the industry was not a matter of chance, but the result of years of research, the introduction of new technologies, varietal development and close cooperation among growers, exporters, researchers and commercial operators.
“Chile was able to seize a unique opportunity. It introduced self-fertile varieties, new rootstocks and production technologies, while also developing postharvest solutions that are now even used by other countries,” he said.
He also highlighted the development of technologies for long-distance sea transport, including modified-atmosphere systems and protocols that allow cherries to be shipped for more than 40 days without losing competitiveness. “This is a challenge that does not exist in other producing countries,” he stated.
According to the professor, the main problem currently facing the industry is not the increase in production volumes, but the lack of a strategy aimed at increasing consumption in established markets.
“We are accustomed to growing by opening new markets, but we have not developed demand with the same determination in the countries where we already have a presence,” he said.
Zoffoli believes that the promotion of Chilean cherries has focused too heavily on the product’s visual attributes or on specific consumption occasions, such as Chinese New Year, without building a long-term narrative capable of supporting demand throughout the season.
“Today, consumers are looking for foods that can provide health benefits, and we must demonstrate these through scientific evidence,” the expert emphasised.
Another transformation that the sector must undertake concerns the communication of fruit quality, which must be “objectively measured, quantified and communicated throughout the season.”
“We cannot wait until the end of the season to make an assessment, when commercial decisions have already been made,” Zoffoli observed.
By way of example, he recalled that the 2025–2026 season offered significantly higher potential quality than the previous season, thanks to the lower fruit load per tree. However, this difference went virtually unrecognised by the markets.
According to Zoffoli, many of the advances currently supporting the competitiveness of Chilean cherries originated from research conducted by universities and scientific centres. The professor explained that he is currently leading several lines of research aimed at addressing the sector’s new challenges.
These include an interdisciplinary project aimed at understanding internal browning, one of the main physiological disorders affecting fruit during long journeys to Asian markets.
The goal of the research is to identify genetic markers that will make it possible to select new varieties that are less susceptible to this problem, considering that cultivars such as Regina are highly sensitive to this disorder despite their excellent agronomic characteristics.
At the same time, Zoffoli is developing a FONDEF project focused on new packaging technologies capable of releasing natural compounds during transport in order to preserve the quality and condition of the fruit.
In addition, a project is being carried out jointly with the Advanced Centre for Transport, Logistics and Competitiveness (CATLeC) to optimise the international transport of cherries through improved management of refrigerated containers.
Zoffoli proposes using scientific evidence to demonstrate the nutritional benefits of Chilean cherries and build a new narrative around the fruit.
Although the initiative is still at an early stage, the research is being conducted together with specialists in Medicine and Nutrition from the Pontifical Catholic University.
“We want to produce information that can scientifically support health-related attributes, such as the content of antioxidant compounds and other bioactive metabolites, because the industry needs to build a science-based narrative,” the professor explained.
According to Zoffoli, the current scenario requires greater coordination among all industry stakeholders, enhancing the role of academia, growers, exporters, the Cherry Committee and the various research centres.
In his view, future advances will be more complex than those achieved during the phase of production expansion. It will therefore be essential to operate within a framework of long-term strategic planning.
“What Chile has built over the years is unique. We must now protect this leadership by strengthening quality, developing new varieties, improving logistics and building a value proposition based on scientific knowledge,” he said.
“Today, we need consumers to buy cherries not only because they are attractive, but because they want to include them in their diet. This change could make all the difference to the future of the Chilean industry,” he concluded.
Image source: Stefano Lugli
Macarena Bravo
PortalFruticola
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