Developed in the temperate valleys of Jujuy, trials of varieties with low chilling requirements are achieving high standards of sweetness and firmness, opening an unprecedented market window for fruit production in the Southern Hemisphere.
30 September 2025 marked an important milestone for regional fruit production, with the harvest of Argentina’s first fresh cherries in an experimental plot located in the temperate valley of Jujuy, in the northwest of the country.
The project, which comprises approximately 2,000 trees and six cultivars planted between 2022 and 2023, is led by Güizzo Frutas Frescas S.A., a company with extensive experience in early-season cherries, in collaboration with grower Oscar Machuca, of Finca Machuca in Monterrico, Jujuy, and Dr Viviana Curzel, lecturer and researcher at the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences of the National University of Jujuy (UNJu).
During this second evaluation cycle, the Minnie Royal and Royal Lee cultivars, first-generation varieties from Zaiger’s prestigious breeding programme, showed very promising agronomic results:
These results were made possible by a rigorous precision orchard management protocol, which included summer defoliation, notching combined with Promalin applications, branch bending, the use of growth regulators, and specific doses of dormancy-breaking products applied at key stages to ensure adequate fruit set.
The area offers unique agroclimatic conditions, making it particularly strategic for the production of cherries and ultra-early stone fruit:
Thanks to these advantages, the project reached harvest in week 40 for the second consecutive year, matching the timing of the earliest harvests in northeastern South Africa and preceding production in Mendoza, Argentina, and the Coquimbo Region of Chile by 15–20 days.
For engineer Nicolás Güizzo, executive and technical manager at Güizzo Frutas Frescas S.A., bringing high-quality fruit to market in late September represents a major commercial advantage for both the domestic market and future exports, while acknowledging the challenges inherent in an area that is marginal for this crop.
With this in mind, the project plans to introduce new varieties with low chilling requirements in the near future, including those developed by Bloomfresh.
Dr Viviana Curzel highlighted that Jujuy has more than 40 years of experience in producing early-season stone fruit, supported by 25 years of local research into species with very low chilling requirements.
This cherry trial confirms the region’s potential to supply the market during highly profitable commercial windows and to open up new export opportunities.
Source: mundoagro.io
Image source: Raintree Nursery
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