According to estimates from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Chilean cherry exports will increase by 13% in the 2019/2020 marketing year, reaching 259,000 tons, a higher volume than the 228,923 tons exported in the 2019/2020 cycle, which was already 27.2% higher than the volume exported in the previous season.
China is the main market for Chilean cherries, as the country sends 90% of the total volume it exports to this destination. The United States is the second destination for this fruit. However, Chilean cherry exports to the United States only account for 2% of the total, and shipments in the 2019/2020 campaign decreased by 4.6% when compared to the 2018/2019 campaign.
Exports to China
In early February, during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, at least 3,000 containers of Chilean cherries were on their way to or arriving in China, specifically with late-harvest varieties of cherries. Chilean exporters stated that some shipments were delayed or stuck in Chinese ports, so there was a high risk that these exports were lost because cherries are a perishable product.
Despite these difficulties, the export volume of cherries to China increased by 31.6% in the 2019/2020 marketing year when compared to the previous season.
Chilean cherry exporters expect Chinese demand will continue to expand, offering new market opportunities for Chilean cherries in Chinese inland cities.
Source: opportimes.com