A month after the announcement that the 2023-24 harvest exceeded projections at 502,000 tonnes, a new shipper-happy cherry from Chile has emerged.
According to an August 23, 2024 report by Agrositio, the new cherry cultivar, known as “S-21,” is set to be 100% local.
Chile’s Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG) cites that only registration remains before the variety gains farming and marketing certifications.
Apparently, 2024 will mark the final field tests for the new release. After the tests, the researchers at the Cherry Genetic Improvement Program led by Dr. José Manuel Donoso, will announce its market release.
The cultivar will not only circulate locally but internationally, especially in China, which commands over 75% of Chile’s total cherry shipments
Cherry exports to China in particular require strong varieties that can withstand 30% to 50% cold storage throughout shipping.
New Cherry from Chile Has Good Shipping Attributes
S-21 more than qualifies for extended cold treatment as it can go through a 35-day voyage while in substantial refrigeration.
This member of the Prunus avium species is also a winner in size, with a caliber of 32 to 34. This implies that it perfectly fits shipping trays as all fruits have up to 90% uniformity, which makes their packing efficient.
Caliber indicates the size and uniformity aspects of cherries. Large calibers, which are also the most uniform, present better transportation than smaller ones.
A related aspect is the firmness of the S-21 variety, whose fruits are taut to the touch. This quality could help reduce bruises from transportation pressure.
For the gourmet after eating qualities, the new cultivar is a winner for it is a sweet cherry type an enhanced taste.
Thus, as the new cherry from Chile draws near its certification date, it will be reinforcing currently impressive production and export records. Indeed, industry experts predict that the 2024-25 season could bring exports of over 112 million boxes. This prediction is way higher than the 2023-24 season’s prediction of 95 million 11-pound boxes. And as the following statistics indicate, Chile leads the world in all aspects of the tropical fruit from production to exports.
Chile Cherries Statistics
Chile produces more cherries than any other nation and exports twice its nearest rival. In terms of production, the country saw phenomenal growth from 1999’s output of below 30,000 tonnes to 2016-17’s 95,269 tonnes. Five years on, the output total more than tripled to 386,300 tonnes (2021) and 443,660 tonnes (2022). According to FAOSTAT, acreage under cherries has been improving too, in tandem with yearly increase in production. For instance between 2021 and 2022, the cherry area grew by 25.7% from 48,961 hectares to 61,559 hectares.
Are there only sweet cherries in Chile?
While the above information reveals the total production figures, it does not reveal that sweet cherries represent over 99% of that output. In 2021, sweet varieties made 386,000 tonnes, while sour cherries reached only 300 tonnes. So was the 2022 scenario, where sweet cherries clocked to over 443,067 tonnes versus sour cherries’ over 593 tonnes.
What is the export rank in cherry exports for Chile?
The World Bank reports that in 2019, the export total of fresh cherries from Chile reached 220,928 tonnes worth $1.609 billion. This was double that of the next big exporter Hong Kong/China at 167,756 tonnes worth over $764.728 million.
Where do cherries grow in Chile?
As of 2024, two areas in the middle of the country, namely El Maule and O’Higgins were producing about 80% of Chile’s cherries. The rest come from Bío-Bío and other regions, especially around the Curicó-Santiago distance.