The keys to the reign of Chilean cherries in China

Chilean fruit, especially cherries, is highly sought after in China, particularly during the Chinese New Year, due to their symbolic representation of prosperity and good fortune. Chile was the first Latin American country to sign a Free Trade Agreement with China in 2005, and since then, cherry exports have grown significantly, becoming the country's third largest export to China. The growth is attributed to China's increasing purchasing power and government policies. The Chilean fruit industry has adopted advanced technology such as atmospheric packaging and sustainable crop management. Direct routes to China have also been established, reducing the travel time. The demand for cherries is so high that it has led to an expansion in plantation areas in Chile.

Chilean fruit is eagerly awaited by consumers, especially during the Chinese New Year, which will be celebrated on January 29 in 2025. There are even special sales on social networks, as they are considered a symbol of prosperity and good fortune in the Asian country. The "boom" is so powerful that supermarkets run out of stock on those dates. Mónica Ahumada, an expert on Asia and academic at the Usach Faculty of Humanities, provided details of the growth of the cherry market in the Asian giant. "2012 was the first shipment of cherries to China with an amount of approximately 186 billion. Prior to that, Chile was an exporter of fruits and food products, but cherries were not within the ranges," he indicated. Ahumada pointed out that our country was the first in Latin America to sign a Free Trade Agreement with China, in 2005. "At that time, the Chilean products most exported to said country were copper, cellulose, fish meal, from the sea, wines, and in sixth place was fresh fruit, ...