Chilean cherries enjoy a bumper harvest, market prices plunge

On January 11, 2025, the Guangzhou Nansha port welcomed the largest single batch of imported cherries of the 2024-2025 new cherry season. A cargo ship named "Maersk Sarat" carrying more than 1200 containers and weighing 20,000 tonnes of Chilean cherries docked at the Phase II terminal of Guangzhou Nansha Port. This batch of cherries is not only the start of the new season, but also the largest single import volume ever handled at this port.

To ensure rapid customs clearance for the cherries, Guangzhou Customs adopted a number of facilitation measures, such as researching enterprise needs in advance, implementing "advance declaration and diversion at the ship's side", and providing full-chain "one-stop" services, promoting inspection upon arrival and rapid inspection and release. From December 2024 up to January 11, 2025, Nansha Customs had supervised more than 5000 containers of Chilean imported cherries, with a total weight of more than 90,000 tonnes. It is expected that during the entire new season, 12 direct cherry express ships will dock at Guangzhou Nansha Port, with imports accounting for about 40% of the national total, and Nansha Port will also become the country's largest cherry import port for 3 consecutive years.

This year is a "bumper year" for Chilean cherry production, and its export volume is expected to increase by 50% compared with the previous season. The cherry varieties imported this time include "Santina" and "Lapins", among which 60% will be sold locally in Guangzhou, and the rest will be distributed to cities such as Beijing and Shanghai. As the arrival volume of cherries increases, their prices have also become more affordable.

Chilean cherries have always been highly favored in the Guangzhou market. Every year when the cherry season arrives, major fruit shops and supermarkets are filled with brightly colored, plump Chilean cherries. However, in the past, because prices were relatively high, many people could only indulge occasionally. But this year the situation is very different! Good news has come from Chile, and cherries have ushered in a bumper harvest. A large number of cherries have poured into the Guangzhou market, supply exceeds demand, and prices have naturally come down. Cherries that originally cost as much as over 100 yuan per jin are now much more affordable. In some fruit wholesale markets, prices are even shockingly low.

According to data released by the Guangzhou Jiangnan Fruit and Vegetable Market, from January 3 to January 12, 2025, the reference price of imported Chilean cherries fell rapidly, from 70 yuan per kg to 55 yuan, while in the same period last year the reference price on January 3 was 109 yuan per kg, and on January 12 it was 79 yuan per kg.

At present, more than 92% of Chile's cherry production is exported to China, of which about 90% will be shipped to the Chinese market, occupying a major share of China's total imported cherries.

At the Guangzhou Jiangnan Fruit and Vegetable Wholesale Market, the current price of 2J grade cherries is about 18 yuan per jin, 3J grade is about 28 yuan per jin, and a 5-jin pack of 4J grade is sold for 160 yuan. In the 2023-2024 season, Chile's total cherry exports were 410,000 tonnes, with exports to China reaching a record 377,000 tonnes, an increase of 3.3% over the previous season. In the 2024-2025 season, Chile's cherry production is expected to increase by 50% compared with last year.

This price change is undoubtedly great news for consumers in Guangzhou. Everyone can freely enjoy cherries! Whether eaten directly or made into cherry jam or cherry cake, there is no longer any need to worry about the wallet.

According to data analysis of the market's customer purchasing groups, health-conscious middle-aged and older people make up about 20% of buyers. When prices are reasonable, they buy 1-2 times per week, about 1-2 jin each time, and tend to buy in supermarkets because they pay more attention to quality assurance and the shopping environment.

Young office workers account for about 35%. As a group with relatively high consumption vitality, they have a fast work pace and need quick and nutritious snacks to replenish energy. After the price drop, purchase frequency rose from 2-3 times per month to 1-2 times per week, with most choosing to buy on e-commerce platforms or at convenience stores, buying 0.5-1 jin each time, and placing more value on convenience.

Families with children account for 30% of buyers. When prices are affordable, they buy 2-3 times per week, 2-3 jin each time, often choosing fruit wholesale markets or large supermarkets, and focusing on value for money and freshness.

Consumers pursuing quality of life account for about 15%. They regard cherries as a symbol of high-quality living and will buy them even if the price is somewhat high. After the price drop, purchase frequency increased, from 1-2 times per month to 3-4 times per month, with 1-2 jin each time, mostly buying at boutique fruit shops or high-end supermarkets, and focusing on brand and taste.

For fruit merchants in Guangzhou, although the unit price of cherries has decreased, sales volume has risen sharply. Small profits but quick turnover, and overall profits are still considerable. Moreover, as cherry prices fall, they have attracted more consumer attention and boosted the popularity of the entire fruit market.

Cherries are not only delicious but also have certain nutritional value and benefits, but there are also some contraindications to note when eating them.

Cherries are rich in vitamin C, vitamin A, melatonin, anthocyanins, bioflavonoids and other substances, which have a certain supportive effect on body nutrition. But they should also be eaten in moderation. Cherries are warm in nature, and for some people with a hot constitution who are prone to internal heat, such as those who often have sore throat, bleeding gums, or dry hard stools, eating too many may aggravate internal dryness and heat and trigger symptoms of internal heat. Diabetic patients need to strictly control the amount when eating, and for patients with renal insufficiency, especially those who already have hyperkalemia, they should eat cautiously and follow medical advice.