According to iQonsulting, up to week 4, Chile has exported 81 million boxes of cherries, exceeding the company's initial 80-million estimate. However, this season's export volume is not expected to reach the more than 83 million boxes achieved in the previous season.
The cherry export season will culminate on February 10 with the celebration of the Chinese New Year in 2024. Cherry is considered a symbolic gift to wish prosperity to Chinese families and, according to Isabel Quiroz, executive director of iQonsulting, cherry arrivals and sales are expected to peak in China this week.
Despite the cold, there is considerable interest in China to buy Chilean cherries. In week 4, the average price in the wholesale market of Guangzhou was US$9.63 per kilo, surpassing the US$9.37 in week 3. The varieties that get the best prices include Kordia ($13.64 per kilo), Regina ($11.08 per kilo), Lapins ($9.51 per kilo), Santina ($9.6 per kilo), and Sweet Heart ($8.33 per kilo).
Quiroz also stated that, due to delays on a boat and slight traffic jams, some cherries might not be sold before the Chinese New Year and would have to be sold in the following days. Despite this, the good news is that so far there has been no accumulation of fruit and all the fruit sent has been sold.
Source: redagricola.com