The 2024 Argentinian cherry season has come to a close with favorable results. "We've had normal volumes this year, and since Argentina exports almost everything by plane to arrive earlier than Chile to China, the season has been good for us," says Emelka's general manager, Ariel Sabbag.
Argentina's production schedule allows it to supply markets such as China and the United States before the arrival of Chile's large volumes. "Air freight is the only option for Argentina. We are betting on a commercial window that avoids direct competition with ships full of cherries," says Sabbag. This strategy allows the company to withdraw from the Asian market just as the first Chilean sea containers start to arrive.
© Emelka
As far as prices are concerned, Sabbag says that "they have been normal, neither too high nor too low, and with a stable market." Since October, when the harvest starts in the Emelka area, there has been a growing demand for quality and size. "The demand is excellent, but as the years pass, the requirements in terms of sizes and condition are also increasingly strict. We are committed to quality and good sizes over quantity," he says.
In terms of technology, the company has started trials with macro tunnels to bring harvesting forward by a few days, although it remains committed to traditional varieties. "The Santina is giving us excellent results, and it is appreciated in the markets," says Sabbag.
For next season, Emelka expects the volume to grow, with new farms coming into production. "This season, we expect to produce between 550,000 and 600,000 kilos of cherries," says the manager.
Besides cherries, Emelka also exports pears and apples, and these crops have also yielded good results. The pear harvest has been normal, and the calibers available have facilitated the fruit's marketing. "In the United States, there has been some pressure due to the simultaneous arrival of many containers, but the quality has been good. In Europe, there has been a stable market, and in Brazil, the demand has been somewhat slow, but volumes have remained stable," he says.
© Emelka
The Williams variety is still the most representative in the country, although the Packham's, Abate Fetel, and Anjou also stand out, each one with its own specific market. "Fortunately, we have pears for the whole world," says the manager. 85% of the pear production is intended for export, and thanks to the use of controlled atmosphere storage, they can supply Latin American supermarkets up until December.
Emelka is investing heavily in anti-hail systems, frost protection, and irrigation technology with artificial intelligence to remain competitive. "The only way to get through these economic cycles is to become better at what we do every day," says Sabbag. For him, the next challenges for the sector will be marked by advances in robotics and artificial intelligence: "We don't know where we are headed, but this evolution is already irreversible."
For more information:
Ariel Sabbag
Emelka S.A.
Argentina
Tel.: +54 9 2984 53 7013
[email protected]
https://emelka.com.ar
