Frutas de Chile Releases 2024/25 Cherry Trade Statistics Handbook

Recently, Frutas de Chile released its 2024/25 Cherry Trade Statistics Handbook, detailing export volumes from Southern Hemisphere suppliers and highlighting annual import trends across major global markets, especially China.

The handbook brings together trade data from the world’s major cherry import markets. By integrating the latest export data from Southern Hemisphere producers, it seeks to offer a clear and comprehensive overview of the global cherry trade during the 2024/25 season (April to March) from the perspective of importing countries.

Globally, total cherry production exceeded 5.3 million metric tons in the 2024/25 season, with approximately 18% (978,000 metric tons) traded internationally as fresh cherries. While Southern Hemisphere countries accounted for just 13% of global production, they made up a remarkable 65.8% of the worldwide cherry trade. Notably, Chile, as the world’s leading cherry exporter, contributed more than 97% of the Southern Hemisphere’s total cherry exports.

As the world’s top cherry buyer, China has seen an average annual growth rate of around 14% in its cherry imports over the past five years. In the 12 months leading up to March 2025, China imported a staggering 557,502 metric tons of cherries from around the world, representing a year-on-year increase of 44%. Even among all imported fruits, cherries stood out as a heavyweight. According to the handbook, fresh cherries alone accounted for 23% of China’s total fruit import value and 8.8% of its total import volume in the 2024/25 season.

The handbook clearly shows that Chile has been China’s leading cherry supplier for nearly a decade, accounting for approximately 98% of total imports in the 2024/25 season. As a seasonal delicacy in China’s winter fruit market, Chilean cherries have come to symbolize the country’s evolving consumer preferences and rising demand for premium products.

As the world’s largest exporter of fresh cherries, Chile plays a pivotal role in driving demand both in China and globally. On the Chinese market in particular, expanding cherry supply and stimulating consumer demand have become central to the strategic priorities of Chilean producers and exporters.

As China’s fruit market becomes increasingly sophisticated, Chilean cherries are sustaining their growth through a dual-pronged strategy. On the one hand, the industry is strengthening its engagement with existing consumers by enhancing fruit quality, refining product specifications and creating new consumption occasions to increase both purchase frequency and volume. On the other hand, it is actively expanding into lower-tier cities, appealing to a growing segment of quality-conscious consumers and bringing this sweet, red fruit to more households across China’s vast network of second-, third- and even lower-tier cities.

Images: Frutas de Chile

This article was based on a Chinese article. Read the original article.