The General Manager of the Argentine Chamber of Integrated Cherry Producers (CAPCI) spoke about the export of Argentine cherries, which reached a record figure in January.

In a conversation with Smartcherry, Aníbal Caminiti discussed the good moment that the red fruit is experiencing in the country and the milestone reached with shipments in January of more than 7,430 tons, emphasizing that to maintain competitiveness, especially with the volume and quality of Chilean cherries, they must redouble efforts in efficiency and market strategies.

– What do you think is being done well to achieve this historic figure?
«Although the 2024-2025 season is not over for us, we can say that this season is going to be a record season, surpassing last year’s 7,200 tons and estimating that we will exceed 7,700. However, we cannot compare our export volumes with Chile’s volumes or with the growth that Chile has experienced in the last 10 years. Nevertheless, Argentina has maintained the cultivated area in the last 10 years. We have been growing in exportable surplus continuously, except for some years with climatic problems, but with a trend marking an approximately 10% year-on-year growth. If this year meets expectations, surpassing 7,700 tons, we would have a year-on-year growth of 7% (between one season and another).»

– What do you attribute this figure to?
«Our growth has been moderate, starting from the fact that there is no increase in planted area, but there is greater efficiency, higher yields, and very good work from our companies and producers, which allows us to have an exportable surplus. Additionally, Argentina has had a very good season in the domestic market, increasing the participation of cherries within the basket of fruits in Argentine consumption, which is not so common; they are being accepted as just another fruit, so this is quite encouraging even though we are not growing as much as we would like to be growing and have expanded in area when we have all the potential in terms of climate, land, water, and everything we know, and when there are markets that are waiting for cherries from the southern hemisphere and from Argentina. Today, we are seeing a change in consumer behavior, and that is encouraging.»

– Which countries do you currently export to?
«It varies from year to year. To China and the United States, we export about 30% this season. Then, 22% goes to the European Union, 9% to the Middle East, and the rest to Southeast Asian countries, India, and newer markets that are emerging for us. This year we started shipping to Egypt, Nepal, and Estonia. The Argentine cherry business relies on air pallets, not on the scale like that of Chile, which uses ships and containers. Therefore, 80% of what we export leaves by air, allowing us to diversify our markets significantly.»

– What attributes do you think Argentine cherries have?
«There are attributes related to the quality of the fruit, but the greatest responsibility lies in the know-how that producers are developing. It’s important to note that this sector is small here; there are 15 or 16 packing houses that export, which have another great characteristic: they are integrated producers, meaning they do primary production, packing, and exporting. Thus, they have a very refined handling of the fruit from the orchard to the packing and logistics process. Additionally, a large part of the fruit is shipped by air, ensuring that the final product reaches various markets in very good condition.»

– Looking ahead to the next season, what are the main challenges for the Argentine cherry industry?
«In light of the facts, the biggest challenge for Argentine cherries is coexisting with Chilean cherries in various markets. Undoubtedly, the exponential growth of Chile’s exportable supply will continue for several more years, as it will keep growing, and if this season they had an export increase of more than 50%, that increase will continue, and we share the same markets. Inevitably, there will be Chilean fruit in all markets, although I believe China will always be the main market for Chilean cherries because, in cherries, Chile is dependent on China, and China is dependent on Chile because there is no other supplier from the southern hemisphere that can meet the demand for southern hemisphere cherries, and only Chile can do that. Inevitably, there will be Chilean fruit participating in other markets that until now had less focus or no focus for Chile. The challenge will be to maintain a quality status, and at the same time, we are working on identity because there is quality fruit everywhere. We must not lose that direction; we have a specific protocol for an exportable fruit quality standard, we should not stray from our objectives, and we need to manage niche markets as we have been doing while also adding identity.»

– What other differentiating attributes do you have to maintain competitiveness?
«More than 90% of what Argentina exports comes from Patagonia. We now have the designation of origin for the southernmost cherries in the world, which are the cherries from Los Antiguos. These cherries are still in production and being exported, and they have a distinction not only for being the most southern but also for their organoleptic quality within the Patagonian fruit. The farther south they are produced, the more pronounced organoleptic characteristics they develop due to the maturity process and various variables. This emphasis on quality and differentiation are two guiding principles for us in Argentina as we continue to coexist with Chilean cherries in the markets we participate in.»