Spanish cherry campaign delayed
The Committee of the Spanish Federation of Fruit, Vegetable, Flower, and Live Plant Exporting Producers' Associations (FEPEX) has announced that this year's Spanish cherry campaign will begin approximately 10 days later than usual.
Extremadura will be the first region to begin harvesting, with the season running from May 10th to 15th. Following Extremadura, Aragon, Catalonia, and Alicante, all key cherry-growing areas in Spain, will begin their respective harvests.
Expectations for this year are optimistic, projecting a typical season in terms of volume and good fruit sizes.
In mid-April, Spanish Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas, and the Chinese Minister of General Administration of Customs, Sun Meijun, signed a protocol to facilitate the export of Spanish cherries to China. The FEPEX Committee sees the opening of the Chinese market as a significant opportunity for Spanish producers and exporters.
In terms of global export figures, Spain exported 39,968 tons of cherries in 2024, with the European Union being the primary destination, receiving 33,440 tons. Outside the EU, the UK led in imports with 5,725 tons, followed by South Africa with 100 tons and Hong Kong with 103 tons.
The total value of cherry exports amounted to 139 million euros, of which 110 million euros were attributed to shipments to the European Union, according to data from the Customs and Excise Department.
