The first shipment of Chilean cherries, carrying nearly 540 containers and totaling around 14,000 tons, arrived in Guangzhou.
Chile projected a 50 per cent rise in cherry production this year, citing improved quality due to the El Niño climate pattern. At Guangzhou's Jiangnan wholesale market, cherry prices dropped to approximately $15 per kilogram, significantly lower than last year's $18 to $22 range and down from $20 earlier this month.
At Alibaba's Freshippo grocery chain, cherry sales surged by 90 per cent compared to the previous month, with prices falling by 23%. Jumbo-sized five-kilogram packages now cost around $27, reduced from $35, while extra jumbo varieties are priced at about $41, down from $53.
Chile's cherry season, continuing into the next year, was set to break records. The Chilean Fruit Exporters Association estimated a 50% growth in global exports, reaching around 124.5 million five-kilogram boxes, equating to approximately 620,000 tons.
According to customs data, Chile supplied over 90 per cent of the cherries imported into China last year.
