The demand for cherries in Asia is expected to grow over the next decade, a recent IndexBox report has stated. The Asian cherry market's expansion rate is projected to slow down, with an estimated compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 2.3% in volume, reaching about 2.1 million tons by 2035. However, in monetary terms, the market value is expected to grow at a CAGR of around 4.5%, reaching roughly $11.6 billion in wholesale prices.

Consumption

In 2024, approximately 1.7 million tons of cherries were consumed in Asia, representing a 3.7% increase from the previous year. Over the last eleven years, average consumption has grown annually by about 3.9%, with notable fluctuations. 

Since 2014, consumption has increased by over 77%, peaking in 2024. The market value of cherries in Asia reached about $7.1 billion in 2024, showing a 15% rise from the previous year. 

In 2024, the leading consumers by volume were Turkey (630,000 tons), China (487,000 tons), and Uzbekistan (186,000 tons), accounting for roughly 78% together. China experienced the fastest growth in consumption since 2013, at around 19.2% annually. In value, China also leads with an estimated $3.7 billion, followed by Turkey at $1.8 billion and Uzbekistan.

Per capita cherry consumption in 2024 was highest in Turkey (7.3 kg per person), followed by Uzbekistan (5.2 kg) and Lebanon (4.7 kg). China's consumption increased significantly over the years, maintaining a high growth rate.

Production

Asia produced about 1.3 million tons of cherries in 2024, a 5.4% decline from the previous year. The long-term trend from 2013 shows an average annual increase of about 1.8%, with growth fluctuating in certain years. 

The highest production growth occurred in 2015, with a 15% increase. The total value of production was approximately $3.5 billion in 2024, with some fluctuations over the years.

Turkey is by far the largest producer, with 696,000 tons, over half of Asia's total. Uzbekistan and Iran follow, producing 218,000 and 125,000 tons respectively. Turkey’s production has grown modestly (+3.2% annually), while Uzbekistan’s has increased more rapidly (+10.9%), and Iran’s has actually declined (-7%).

In 2024, the average cherry yield was around 7.3 tons per hectare, a slight decrease from the previous year. Since 2013, yields have increased at an average of 2% annually, but with some variability. The harvested area in Asia was approximately 174,000 hectares in 2024, slightly below the previous year, with the maximum area reached in 2023 at about 182,000 hectares.

Trade

Imports of cherries into Asia surged to approximately 537,000 tons in 2024, a 23% increase from 2023. The total import value was around $4.1 billion, with China accounting for about 84% of imports, around 451,000 tons, making it the dominant importer. Other significant importers include South Korea, Taiwan (Chinese), and Iraq.

Import prices averaged around $7,576 per ton in 2024, increasing by about 5.5% over the previous year. Price levels varied among countries, with South Korea paying the highest (around $9,097 per ton).

Asian cherry exports declined significantly in 2024, with about 143,000 tons shipped abroad, a decrease of 19.1% compared to the previous year. Despite this, over the longer term, exports increased sharply from earlier years, peaking at 183,000 tons in 2020. Export values totaled approximately $330 million in 2024.

Turkey was the main exporter, accounting for roughly 47% of total exports (about 67,000 tons), followed by Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan. Export prices averaged around $2,311 per ton in 2024, increasing by 20% from the previous year, though the trend has shown some fluctuations over time.

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