By Cristian Tagle, President of the Cherry Committee of Asoex.

We have just finished an unprecedented cherry season with record volume in the midst of a never-before-seen situation that was present for much of the season.

However, it is no mystery to anyone that we are in a world full of uncertainty. I believe that the fundamentals of the business have not changed and all the good that this wonderful cherry industry has done will continue to pay off. Given this volatility, it is imperative to continue diversifying markets with more strength and conviction.

No matter how much diversification there is, however, China will continue to be an important part of the future for the industry and because of this, we are going to deepen our ties both at the national and regional levels to have a greater number of tools and be able to prevent future situations that may occur.

Understanding and connecting with the different provinces of this immense market is essential to face what is coming.

Additionally, a working table has been set up with the Ministry of Agriculture, Foreign Ministry, Embassy, ProChile, SAG, representatives of exporters and producer unions to comprehensively address the challenges that lie ahead.

The motivation for this initiative is not only thinking about this specific season. It responds to a need with a medium and long-term outlook where all the views and interests that contribute to the development of the industry are present.

This Committee was formed in prosperous times when the need for unity within the industry was not so well understood. Today more than ever, that wise initiative of several exporters has been validated with the purpose that prompted us to be united for almost a decade.

I would like to invite all exporters who have not yet done so to join the Cherry Committee as partners. We need to strengthen our cohesion within the industry. Currently, a minimum requirement is to be decided upon to guarantee the access of our fruit to increasingly demanding markets.

This is a lifelong task that requires adaptivity, as the norms and trends are constantly changing. The commitment and responsibility of each exporter, regardless of size or experience, is crucial to make this possible.

To learn more about the cherry industry, we remind you that the Global Cherry Summit event this year will be held in two forms:

An online version that will analyze specific aspects of the cherry season that has just concluded, which will take place on Wednesday, April 21, 2021.

This session will serve as a prelude to the Global Cherry Summit 2021 in its in-person version, which will take place on August 17, 2021, at the Sun Monticello Hotel Conference Center in San Francisco de Mostazal, Chile.

The event, as is traditional, will provide all the information on the growth of this crop, considering trends, future projections and marketing strategies among other things.

For more information visit www.globalcherrysummit.com or contact events@yentzengroup.com.