A 2024/2025 to remember for the Argentine cherry industry: fresh fruit exports reached 7,600 tonnes, setting a new historical record. Sustained demand, both in international and domestic markets, ensured good prices for producers, despite the growing presence of Chilean products within the national territory.
"The season, overall, will close positively. Some areas managed to seize opportunities in China, shipping by air before the arrival of sea shipments. This early move allowed good prices and smooth sales," said Aníbal Caminiti, director of the Argentine Chamber of Integrated Cherry Producers (Capci), in an interview with Más Producción.
Behind these results are investments in post-harvest technologies and improved logistics. The innovations have made it possible to maintain high product quality and reach more distant markets thanks to a better cold storage system.
Additionally, Argentina benefits from an early production window in the southern hemisphere: local cherries reach the market at a time of low global supply, when demand is higher and prices tend to rise. This dynamic has favored exports and increased the product's competitiveness.
While Argentina wraps up a brilliant season, Chile reaffirms itself as the main competitor. The massive influx of Chilean products into the Chinese market, especially during January and February, caused a price collapse that also affected other key markets such as the United States, Europe, and the Middle East.
"Next year could be even more critical," warns Caminiti. "If the weather is favorable, Chile will have an even larger exportable production, with direct effects on our reference markets. This scenario forces us to rethink strategies and positioning."
Another hot issue is the growing presence of Chilean cherries in the Argentine domestic market. In 2024, over 1,000 tonnes were imported, equal to 20% of national consumption. This share worries local producers, already dealing with a challenging economic context.
The Argentine sector had to face significant increases: +80% for labor, +140% for energy, and +110% for fiscal pressure in local currency. "With these numbers, we become less competitive than Chile, where production costs are lower," Caminiti pointed out.
2024/2025 confirms the potential of Argentine cherries on global markets, but also highlights the structural vulnerabilities of the sector. To maintain growth, it will be essential to focus on production efficiency, opening new markets, and stronger domestic market protection. The challenge has been launched: will Argentina manage to consolidate its role among the world’s cherry leaders?
Source: fruitnet.com
Image source: argentina.gob
27 Mar 2024
In years when leaf fall is irregular, it is not possible to have good disease control management, as waiting for certain levels of leaf fall leaves orchards uncovered and with permanent conditions that favour infection.
21 Jun 2024
Sage Fruit's organic cherries account for about two per cent of the total cherry volume, said Komstadius. "Currently, the volume at the industry level does not seem to be growing, but with organic trends, it is reasonable to think that it will grow in the future."
28 Oct 2025
Argentina’s 2025/26 cherry season begins with mixed signals. Capci warns of early fruit drop affecting export volumes. Despite good fruit quality, unstable weather and production issues may impact international shipments, pushing forecasts toward stability or slight decline.
28 Oct 2025
A new micropropagation protocol for Gisela 17 rootstock was developed in Aurangabad, India. The study achieved excellent results in asepsis, rooting and shoot proliferation, paving the way for healthy cherry stock production and modern nursery propagation techniques.
