The Lunar New Year in Asia is synonymous with cherries, allowing Chile to not only meet the huge demand in China but many other countries in the region too. Yanming Ding, who is based in Chile and specialises in fresh fruits from South America for Valleyfresh, says "Although the rest of Asia does not take as much volume as China, we focus on diversifying the cherries to the rest of the region."
Yanming Ding from Valleyfresh in Chile.
She says other Asian countries like Korea present a good market too. "Korea is a good market that is more stable. They don't have the same volume but offer better prices once China drops. This season Korea looks for more volume, Jumbo sizes in fixed prices that are more secured."
Yanming in a Chilean cherry pack house with a Korean customer.
Those companies who distribute cherries to more than one country, instead of solely focusing on China are able to spread the risk better in case there are some challenges in such a big market. Her company ships containers full of fruit to several Southeast Asian and Middle Eastern countries. Indonesia is a main destination, where they have a commercial office too.
Each year Yanming hosts Chinese visitors in Chile.
Ding was born and raised in Chile by her parents who hail from China. Valleyfresh is a company from Australia with offices around the world. She sources fruit such as avocados, table grapes, and cherries from South American countries to supply world markets. Ding highlights that Asian countries are good markets for sea freight and airfreight of cherries at the moment. "Although there is a big difference with the majority of cherries loaded to China countries like Vietnam and Thailand are good markets to load by sea. By air Cambodia, Philippines, Singapore, and Malaysia are good markets too," concludes Ding.
For more information:
Yanming Ding
Valleyfresh
Tel: +56-9-8502-8141
Email: yanming@valleyfresh.global