Chilean cherries face cautious start in China

Writing and reporting by Macarena Bravo.

The 2026/27 Chilean cherry season is getting off to a wary start in China, where fruit firmness and overall condition are proving more influential than size. With early air shipments entering the market, importers and wholesalers are taking a selective approach, prioritizing fruit that can maintain its integrity through distribution.

Julio Ruiz-Tagle, Asia & Americas Manager at D-Quality Survey, told FreshFruitPortal.com that trading activity remains moderate, with quality emerging as a key factor in the reception of the first Chilean cherries.

About 117 additional pallets entered the Chinese market after arrivals increased over the first weekend of November, providing an initial indication of demand.

"Trade movement remains moderate, and buyers maintain a conservative stance, particularly across wholesale and e-commerce channels," Ruiz-Tagle said.

Santina and Black Rock show variable condition

Santina is among the main Chilean cherry varieties arriving by air, although early assessments point to inconsistencies in fruit condition.

"At this stage, we are seeing fluctuating firmness, along with cracking, pitting, and some dehydrated stems," Ruiz-Tagle explained. "In addition, sugar and flavor profiles remain underdeveloped; despite an attractive exterior, some fruit displays clear signs of immaturity."

Black Rock has performed somewhat better than Santina, although quality also remains variable across shipments.

"Overall, we have observed highly variable firmness, mechanical damage, and a relatively underdeveloped, somewhat neutral flavor profile," the expert said.

Higher Chilean cherry arrivals put pressure on prices

Increasing airfreight volumes have started to weigh on prices as sales slow and available inventory grows.

According to D-Quality Survey data, Santina quotations declined between October 31 and November 2. Prices for 2J-sized fruit in 4.4-pound packs ranged from 350 to 450 Chinese yuan (RMB) per box.

For 11-pound master cartons containing two 5.5-pound packs, prices ranged from RMB 550 to RMB 750 for the same size specification.

Ruiz-Tagle stressed that these figures are indicative trading benchmarks rather than fixed market prices, as values vary by fruit condition, firmness, inventory levels, and consistency between packs.

"Current pallet movement is estimated between 20 percent and 40 percent of available inventory," he said. "Supermarket retailers are currently the most active buyers, mainly looking to secure early shelf space and capture novelty consumer demand in the run-up to Christmas."

In terms of sizing, 2J and 3J cherries are attracting the most interest, while other size categories are moving more slowly. However, Ruiz-Tagle emphasized that size alone will not guarantee sales.

"Firmness is the key differentiator, particularly given that the fruit must endure multiple distribution steps before reaching end consumers," he said.

Market outlook remains preliminary 

D-Quality Survey cautioned against drawing broader conclusions from the initial trading period, noting that current volumes remain limited and do not yet represent the dynamics expected during peak supply.

"This early scenario is not an indicator of how the broader season will play out. It represents a very narrow initial window with minimal volume that does not necessarily reflect dynamics once peak supply lands," Ruiz-Tagle said.

He also noted that much of the fruit sold from the first arrivals had already been allocated to established customers, limiting the amount available to assess demand in the spot market.

Ocean shipments are scheduled to begin in December, with the first Cherry Express vessel expected to arrive on December 6. The arrival of larger ocean-freight volumes is expected to increase supply and significantly influence market pricing.

Ruiz-Tagle also highlighted the importance of maintaining consistent quality from the beginning of the campaign, particularly given the impact that early shipments can have on buyer confidence.

"It is critical that we avoid repeating the missteps of last season, when inconsistent quality at the start created false market expectations. Hopefully, the Chilean cherry industry has learned from that experience," he concluded.

* Main photo is referential via Shutterstock. Other photos courtesy of D-Quality Survey.

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