“Canadian cherries are the best in the world,” says Thierry Delapre with A.M.S. Export. “They are grown in the Okanagan Valley and the Okanagan Lake brings temperatures down at night, resulting in the desired firmness of cherries.” The region didn’t have to deal with high temperatures that other cherry producing regions had to deal with this year. “As a result, quality is really good.”
Canada has ideal window to ship overseas
“Canadian cherries enter the market after US cherry production has wrapped up and are available from early July until late August,” said Delapre. Usually, that is the perfect time to export them overseas. “This year is interesting however. While Canadian cherries came earlier than usual, Europe’s harvest started late. Consequently, our time frame of shipping to Europe is somewhat shorter this season,” mentioned Delapre.
Cherries for the Asian market are exported by sea freight and arrive in Asia until mid-September. Cherries for the European market are shipped by air as well as by sea. France is A.M.S.’ largest European customer, but cherries also make their way to the UK, Spain, Italy and Germany.
Impact of devaluation Euro
“This year is challenging as we are dealing with the devaluation of the Euro,” commented Delapre. For our European consumers, prices went up significantly compared to last year. One kilogram of cherries is at least €12 this season compared to €10 in 2014. “For us, it is key to find the right partners and consumers for this high-quality product.”
