"So far, the season is going well!" These were the words of Aníbal Caminiti, manager of CAPCI, who spoke to Portalfrutícola.com about the ongoing cherry season.

Caminiti noted that, on a national level, they are experiencing a strong production season. "We expect to see an increase in exportable balances," he said. "We'll continue to monitor how the season develops; we are very pleased with the quality of the fruit and the weather conditions that have supported us so far."

When asked about the delay in cherry harvests in Patagonia, Caminiti explained that after several days of high temperatures, a streak of cold days caused a slight delay in the harvest. However, all packing facilities are currently in operation.

"This was a temporary situation, with low temperatures slowing the season's pace, but it didn’t affect the season’s logistics," he emphasized.

He added that, in general, the entire country is ahead by one to three days, depending on the variety. "Overall, in Argentina, we have a very good season in terms of productivity. In terms of seasonality, we are ahead by one to three days depending on the region."

Caminiti also noted that the low temperatures have improved the levels of soluble solids this season, resulting in higher-quality cherries.

Cherry Varieties

Regarding cherry varieties, Caminiti noted that the earliest varieties to be exported were Royal Lynn and Nimba, followed by Royal Dawn and Frisco, which are being exported this week.

"This week, we began harvesting Santina in the southern region, while in the earlier areas of Río Negro and Mendoza, fruit collection has already started," he said.

So far, they have not encountered any environmental issues affecting the fruit. "Overall, all the fruit that has been exported or sent to the domestic market has been of very good quality."

Caminiti attributed this to favorable weather conditions throughout the season. "Starting with a winter that had an excess of chilling hours required by the crop in all regions, we also had a very beneficial spring that aligned with the crop’s needs without any major disruptions."

He noted that "currently, the calibers are very good, regardless of the variety. For example, Royal Dawn usually has difficulty with size, but this year it’s showing very good average calibers. Everything related to color, caliber, Brix degrees, and firmness is going well so far, so we’re seeing excellent parameters, and the fruit is being well-received in the markets."

Cherry Markets

The Argentine industry ships 77% of its production by air. Caminiti said this is because "the volumes are not very large, and they’ve been getting good prices in the markets."

Argentina makes few maritime shipments, which are mostly sent to China, following the same approach used in Chile. "The United States and the United Kingdom receive their shipments by air," he added.

When asked about the increase in production in Chile—nearly 60%—Caminiti stated, "Argentina maintains its suppliers in different international markets, and in China, we are a player that does not compete with Chile in volume; we have our own approach."

He explained that some Argentine companies participate in the Chinese market until Chilean shipments arrive. After that, they shift to other markets if prices drop too much in China. "When this situation happens, it’s advantageous for Argentine producers to continue operating in other markets."

He added that, currently, the Chinese market has an elastic demand for cherries, which remains positive. "The Chinese market is still receptive, and it’s a profitable business for Chile. As long as this doesn’t change, we maintain our own approach. Last season, our main market was not China; it was the United States."

In Caminiti’s view, China is highly dependent on Chile for cherries, and vice versa. "The day China saturates its demand, and if Chile’s supply continues increasing at this rate, Chile won’t have a market in China and will need to look for other outlets."

He explained that if this scenario arises, it will be very challenging to redirect thousands of shipments to other international markets, potentially including India, but "India doesn’t have the cherry consumption culture like China."

Caminiti pointed out that the Chilean industry faces a challenge in how to sustain its high volume of production in China and how changes in consumption patterns may impact demand.

"Any additional entry by Chile into other markets will likely affect those markets due to the volumes it handles."

Photographs of cherries courtesy of Aníbal Caminiti, manager of CAPCI.