Will Chile's cherry production recover?

The Chilean cherry harvest fell by about 30% compared to the previous year. This was mainly the result of El Niño, which made it necessary to enforce preventive measures and to strengthen the phytosanitary processes to control humidity, which is the main reason why fungi appears. These factors have hindered the cultivation process and Chilean growers had to work extra hard to obtain high quality fruit.

"The cherry harvest is carried out very quickly and requires quick actions, something that most producers failed to do on time. In our particular case, we started on 20 November and finished on 15 December, and in order to prevent problems with the crop we improved our pollination process. We saw a better setting and the results were unexpectedly good. Unlike the average in Chile, we had 40% more cherries than in previous years," states Daniel Uauy, of Megafrut.

There has already been a lack in the supply of cherries for two years and this has resulted in a considerable price increase, but as soon as the climatic factors are no longer an issue, the situation should go back to normal, as there will be greater supply and the price will therefore drop. "Markets like China are the key to keeping a favourable price for us as producers. While it is the world's largest consumer of fruit, it is also, in turn, the most demanding and the most distant, so it is a challenge to enter this market. But it is a market with less competition and more opportunities," reiterates the representative of the Chilean company.

Furthermore, it is worth noting that while countries like Canada, the United States and New Zealand are big competitors, Chile has managed to gain a solid foothold in the international market. "We are a serious producer, with a professional approach to the export business. The markets are increasingly demanding and we have to compete in terms of quality. Harvesting the fruit at the right time, being efficient in the cooling process and fast in the shipping are some of the keys to supplying a high quality product. We are getting better and better at these, so we have a positive outlook for the next harvest," concludes the spokesperson for Megafrut.