Bumper cherry exports in 2024
New Zealand cherry producer Southern Fruits International expects to send up to 340 tonnes of luxury cherries to the global market this summer - just over double that of the volume sent last year.
New Zealand premium cherries are a favourite luxury gift for Chinese New Year across East and Southeast Asai. Next year's festival starts on January 22 and is linked to the lunar cycle. The date varies each year by up to a month - and January 22 is about as early as it every gets.
It will be a challenge getting the crop ripened, packed and shipped out in time, says Central Otago cherry industry consultant and marketer Sharon Kirk.
"Some of the varieties won't be, because they're just not going to be ready before Chinese New Year," she told Hort News.
However, with predictions of "a nice, long hot summer" there is a potential for record exports this season.
"There's certainly a big fruit set out there," Kirk says.
With her husband Ross, Kirk has been involved through their company Hortinvest. The company specialises in working with landowners to establish and run cherry orchards, doing everything from raising the initial finance to marketing the fruit.
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Kirk says there's a potential for record cherry exports this year. |
She recently attended Asia Fruit Logistica - described as Asia's premier fresh fruit and vegetable trade show - in Bangkok November 2-4.
Kirk attended as marketing manager for two orchards, Southern Fruits International and Tarras Cherry Corp. This will be the first fruit harvest season for both but there was a huge amount of interest at the show for New Zealand cherries, she says.
Kirk's confidence for the season matches that of Rabobank, which is predicting record cherry production volumes across most of the Southern Hemisphere.
