While the domestic consumer waits to purchase this exquisite and healthy fruit at 1,500 pesos, the Chinese pay up to 45,000 pesos Chilean per kilo.
Just as the Chinese eagerly await Chilean cherries, Chileans also look for them in ferias libres, supermarkets, and the famous Vega, but they are not willing to pay high prices for a kilo.
Once avocado was known as the green gold, now cherries are the red gold, and consumers await them because it is a rich and sweet fruit that many love.
Marcela Rojas, a passionate cherry consumer, emphasizes that they are very tasty, but they are very expensive, and she has not yet been convinced to buy them.
At the beginning of the season, cherries available in the domestic market started at 7,000 and 8,000 pesos per kilo, now they are at 3,500, 3,600, 4,300, and 4,500.
Walking around La Vega, it can be observed that prices effectively range between 3,500 and 4,300 pesos per kilo.
The Minister of Agriculture, Esteban Valenzuela, highlighted that from now until December, prices will decrease further and that by summer, they will be at 1,500.
So, if you can’t satisfy your craving now, don’t worry. The harvest is coming abundantly, and this is a sign of price reductions. It is estimated that cherry production will grow by 30, 40%.
And how much do the Chinese buy Chilean cherries for?
The first shipment of Chilean cherries for the 2024-2025 season arrived at the Shanghai airport, in China, on October 14, 2024, 315 kilograms of the Cherry Crunch variety, exported by Rio King, received by the importer Riverking, and sold in 30 minutes at the Huizhan market.
Boxes of 2.5 kg, size J: 650 RMB (91.8 USD).
Boxes of 2.5 kg, size JD: 700 RMB (98.9 USD).
Boxes of 5 kg, size XL: 900 RMB (127.1 USD).
Boxes of 5 kg, size XLD: 1,000 RMB (141.2 USD).
Boxes of 5 kg, size L: 700 RMB (98.9 USD).
This demonstrates the great enthusiasm for acquiring this fruit, and the first to send cherries are producers from the Norte Chico. However, as producers, exporters, consultants, and technical experts have pointed out, it is necessary to maintain and work for quality through harvest strategies, training, and process optimization.
Source: Diario Frutícola
Image: Diario Frutícola
19 Jun 2024
"One of the key aspects of cherry cultivation is the correct choice of agroclimatic zone," says Marlene Ayala, Catholic University of Chile. "It is very important to have cherries that have a good post-harvest life because the markets are far away.
03 Jun 2024
A US study evaluated the efficacy of two San Jose mealybug defence programmes in black cherry using Sivanto Prime 200SL and flupyradifuron 300SL. Due to the slow onset of action of the treatments, the results did not show significant data.
16 Jan 2026
B.J. Thurlby, who passed away at age 60, led the Washington State Fruit Commission for over 25 years. As a true ambassador for Northwest cherries, he championed research, exports and grower education, leaving a deep mark on the U.S. and international fruit industry.
16 Jan 2026
Frutas de Chile has revised its 2025/26 cherry export forecast down by 15% due to adverse weather, with shipments expected to reach 110 million boxes. To support sales, the Cherry Ice and Snow Festival launches in China, blending cherries, lifestyle and Lunar New Year culture.
