Imported cherries are one of the main products handled by Guangzhou Xingnong Fruit & Vegetable. Mr. Tony Lin of the company explained, “The overall quality of Washington cherries this season has been better than last year, particularly during the early arrivals, with excellent firmness and sweetness. Ahead of the Dragon Boat Festival, sales were generally smooth, supported by good fruit quality, lower prices than in previous years, and strong pre-holiday demand.”
“The cherries sold before the Dragon Boat Festival performed well in terms of quality, but the market became more volatile after the holiday. Weather conditions in the production areas affected fruit quality, and during the week following the festival some shipments showed issues such as reduced firmness, inconsistent flavor, and cosmetic defects. Combined with weaker market demand, prices fell by around 30%-40% compared with pre-holiday levels. In recent days, however, prices have recovered slightly due to lower volumes of air-freighted arrivals.
The reduced supply is the result of two factors: lower production this season and stronger domestic demand related to the FIFA World Cup 2026 preparations in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, leaving fewer cherries available for export to China and increasing procurement costs.” Tony added that air-freighted US cherries are now approaching the end of the season, while sea-freight shipments have not yet begun.
Regarding varieties, Tony said that Black Pearl performed best this season. “Black Pearl offered excellent firmness and sweetness and was especially popular before the Dragon Boat Festival. However, some later shipments of the variety lacked firmness, while Skeena, which was still in the early stage of the season, had a slightly sour flavor. These factors contributed to the significant price decline after the holiday. Among the later varieties, Regina, Kordia, and Attika have already arrived in limited quantities, while Sweetheart is expected to arrive gradually. Their market performance will depend on the quality and volume of arrivals.”
Discussing market demand, Tony noted that domestic demand for American cherries has weakened this year. “In addition to the overall consumer environment, the increasing availability of domestic fruit has been an important factor. Chinese cherries are still on the market, with prices around half the level seen during the same period last year. At the same time, large volumes of domestic peaches, plums, and other seasonal fruits have entered the market, offering good quality and strong value for money. This has given consumers more choices and reduced demand for imported cherries.”
It is understood that a small volume of imported Canadian cherries has also begun arriving on the Chinese market.
Guangzhou Xingnong Fruit & Vegetable has been engaged in the wholesale fruit business for more than 20 years, specializing in imported cherries and other imported fruits, premium domestic fruits, bananas, and vegetables.
Source: Fresh Plaza
