The Chilean Cherry Committee has reached an agreement with shipping consortium ASPA1 for fast transits to Hong Kong and Shanghai, with trips of 22 and 25 days respectively. 

In a release, committee president Cristian Tagle said the deal - for transit between weeks 47 and 52 - would not only benefit committee members but the entire industry.

"This is a very important deal that the committee has reached to benefit the whole industry, as it allows us to cut transit times to the Chinese market by approximately five days, which in the end is a period gained in terms of sales," he said.

Tagle highlighted this would thus allow exporters to have fresher product in the market, in better condition, which would help support promotional activities and raise consumption of Chilean cherries.

The committee is part of the Chilean Fruit Exporters Association (ASOEX), whose president Ronald Bown said the agreement reflected the spirit of the Cherry Committee directory and the group's members.

He added the organization's promotion campaign for Chilean cherries was bringing together a high percentage of the industry, and had become an initiative that no exporter should do without.

He said the promotional program this coming 2016-17 season would be the largest Chilean fresh fruit promotion campaign to date, with investment expectations in the area of US$5-7 million. While around 80% of the product is sent to China, the program will also involve market studies in South Korea and Japan, as well as promotional activities in the United States and Brazil.

In parallel, the committee will also engage in prevention and control activities against quarantine pests with the Fruit Development Fund (FDF), which has developed modern technologies for pest detection and evaluation.

Tagle invited all cherry exporters to participate in the initiative which was "without precedent in our history of fruit exports".

In 2014-15, Chile shipped 250,000 metric tons (MT) of fresh fruit to China, with table grapes, cherries and prunes as the main crops shipped.

According to Chilean Central Bank figures, freight on board (FOB) values for Chilean cherry exports stood at US$518 million in 2015-16.

"Chilean cherry production is on the rise. IF there aren't any climatic phenomena or something else, for the next campaign we expect volumes of production and export above 100,000MT," added Tagle.

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