The first shipment of Chilean cherries for the 2024-2025 season arrived in China on October 14, stirring excitement in the market. This shipment, containing 315 kilograms of Cherry Crunch variety, was exported by Rio King and received by the importer Riverking. Upon arrival at the Shanghai airport, the cherries quickly sold out within 30 minutes at the Huizhan Market.
The selling prices were as follows:
- 2.5 kg boxes, J size: 650 RMB (91.8 USD)
- 2.5 kg boxes, JD size: 700 RMB (98.9 USD)
- 5 kg boxes, XL size: 900 RMB (127.1 USD)
- 5 kg boxes, XLD size: 1000 RMB (141.2 USD)
- 5 kg boxes, L size: 700 RMB (98.9 USD)
Agustín Cornejo, General Manager of QC Fruits, highlighted the significance of this early start to the season:
“The main significance is that it sparks excitement among Chilean exporters and Chinese importers to gain market positioning with this early fruit, and it also expedites program closures that might not have been finalized by this date. Although this season is ahead of last year, looking further back, early shipments from Ovalle have arrived around similar dates in previous years. However, compared to last year, this arrival is indeed early, marking an important shift in the Chilean cherry season in China.”
Agustín Cornejo, General Manager, QC Fruits
Cornejo also emphasized the potential of the Cherry Crunch variety, noting: “It’s a relatively new variety, and we need to monitor its performance with larger volumes. The quality of this first shipment was excellent, especially given it’s early-season fruit transported by air.”
Jorge Astudillo, Production Manager of Valle Arriba SPA, expressed pride in the success of this first shipment from Ovalle, stating:
“We are very pleased and proud that the Coquimbo region, particularly the Limarí Valley, continues to mark the kickoff of the cherry harvest season. Although volumes and varieties differ from last year, we remain a very early-producing region.”
Jorge Astudillo, Production Manager, Valle Arriba SPA
Astudillo also spoke on the challenges faced to ensure quality:
“This pushes us to operate at our best to achieve top quality. We have implemented optimized harvesting techniques, staff training, and process improvements because we understand that a successful harvest is key to delivering top-quality fruit to the end consumer.”
This initial shipment of Chilean cherries to China paves the way for what promises to be a high-demand season, with opportunities not only in the Chinese market but also across other international markets.