Alberto Carleti, president of the Chamber of Commerce, Agriculture and Industry of Tunuyan and vice president of the EMF, said that the situation of the cherry sector in Mendoza was worse than that of the grape and wine sector. He also stated that even though the sector was working proactively "there was no support or response from the government to their proposals, which has resulted in the decrease of activity in the province."
According to Carleti, the problem is that the productive sector has been completely neglected and outdated. "Moreover, I would say it is in the process of becoming extinct," he said.
He also said that the producers hadn't been interested in making the necessary changes to produce cherries in the conditions required by the markets currently.
"Many acres devoted to cherries were eradicated and are now devoted to viticulture and to real estate projects," he said. In this regard, he stated, the area cultivated with cherries fell from 1,200 hectares to 900 hectares.
Regarding the issues affecting the local cherry sector, Carleti suggested investing in updating the productive sector and incorporating new technologies in the cultivation, post harvest and packing of cherries. "It's a culture that evolved significantly over the past 10 years, so the model in Mendoza is outdated. It is necessary to have long-term investment, for which we need trust, credibility and clear rules; some signals that have been missing from the government in recent times, "said the leader.
Carleti recalled that the cherry produced in Mendoza was used within Argentina and particularly in the province.
Source: losandes.com.ar