Chilean cherry growers are on track to export a much larger crop this year. The 2016-17 exports totaled just fewer than 19 million cases; this year it could rise as high as 30 – 32 million packages, according to Andreas Economou of Tastyfrutti International, Inc. “This is without any weather issues. Rain or frost could affect the quantity. Even if that number was reduced, he still indicates yields would more than last year. “Maybe 25 million to pack and ship. We feel that we’ll have double what we had last year – maybe triple.”
Sizing is tipping the scales at extra large and larger. Economou was in Chile just last week and witnessed heavy thinning on the trees to garner bigger fruit, eliminating the smaller cherries, “which the market doesn’t want.” With favorable weather aside, the amount of acreage expansion over the next four to five years could total 40 million packages, says Economou. About 80 per cent of Chile’s cherry exports are sent to the Asian/Southeast Asian market. Economou says the rest is divided between the USA and Europe.
A challenge, he explains is not being able to compete with what Asian countries are paying for cherries from Chile - depending on the seasonal timing could be up to double. “That’s why we get a lot less volume from into the US,” he says. “However there are other countries that are jumping into the cherry business like Argentina.” New plantations there, plus Australia and South Africa could lead to significantly more acreage and available fruit. “Eventually there will be more cherries. I believe that will put pressure on prices in the market – not this year. We feel again it will be similar to last year.”
Shipments have begun with first arrivals in Miami estimated for October 31 and other US airports like Los Angeles around November 5. Tastyfrutti is expecting Brooks, Red Dawns, Lapins and Red Gleen early varieties.
For more information:
Andreas Economou
Tastyfrutti International, Inc.
Ph: 215-425-2777