The new season of Spanish cherries will start with a slight delay. According to the Fepex Cherry Committee, harvesting will begin in Extremadura between May 10 and 15, around ten days later than the average of previous years.
Not only in Extremadura: delays of between seven and ten days are also reported in Aragon, Catalonia, and Alicante. Despite the delay, prospects for 2025 remain optimistic: expected volumes are within the normal range, and fruits of good size are anticipated.
A major development this year is the official opening of the Chinese market to Spanish cherries, thanks to the signing of a new phytosanitary protocol between the two countries. Companies interested in exporting to China must register in a dedicated registry established by the Ministry of Agriculture and pass a compliance audit scheduled by the end of May.
Access to the Chinese market represents a strategic opportunity for the sector, which is experiencing steady growth: in 2024, Spain exported 39,968 tonnes of cherries, around 33,440 of which were destined for the European Union. Exports to non-EU countries reached 6,528 tonnes, with the United Kingdom as the main destination (5,725 tonnes), followed by Hong Kong (103 tonnes) and South Africa (100 tonnes). Total exports generated a value of €139 million.
With expansion into Asian markets and a balanced season ahead, Spain confirms its role as Europe's leading cherry producer. For Italy, the second-largest European producer, strengthening trade relations between Europe and Asia could also open new growth opportunities.
Source: fruitnet.com
30 Jul 2024
Customisations included skid steer loader platforms and attachments to simplify the handling of the necessary rolls and cabling. For the new area, the company switched to high-density UFO (upright fruiting offshoot) plantings with a V-shaped trellis.
21 Aug 2024
After the ‘S-21’ cherry was approved in October 2023 in the regional instances, the National Committee of Varieties of INIA decided to approve the so-called ‘Selection 21’ to have the first 100% Chilean cherry to be marketed internationally.
22 May 2025
Washington Fruit Growers unveils a new cherry packing line developed with Unitec. The facility boosts production capacity and brings in advanced technology to ensure quality, flexibility, and speed in meeting the growing global market demand.
22 May 2025
Bruising, pitting and rot affect postharvest cherry quality. Learn how container choice (totem, bucket, or capacho) and cherry variety (Santina, Sweet Heart, Regina, Lapins) influence firmness, mechanical damage and shelf-life under cold storage conditions.
