Chilean cherries are a popular product in the weeks up to the Lunar New Year. This year, more than 80% of the Chilean cherry harvest have been shipped to China. The quality is said to be better than last year's crop. Chilean cherries are exported by air from November until the start of January. After that, the first shipments arrive. This year, it is expected that 1,000 containers will reach China in the weeks before the Lunar New Year. Popular varieties are the Santina, Lapin, Bing and the Royal Dawn.
100 containers have just arrived in Guangzhou and first feedback from the market has been positive. Sales have started off steady, and the quality is better than during the previous season.
The majority of the New Year's cherries will be sold in advance, before they arrive on the market. Most of the later shipments will be shipped to markets in the South of the country, as they allow the product to enter the market the quickest. From Guangzhou the shipment can get to anywhere in China within three days.
Currently, cherries from Tasmania and New Zealand are also available on the market. The Tasmanian cherry season starts late December and runs until early February. It finishes right during the New Year. Almost all cherries from Tasmania and New Zealand are imported by air, stacked in 2 kg cartons, and fetch better prices on the market. Prices for Chilean cherries hover around 290 Yuan per 2 kilogram. Cherries from Tasmania are sold at around 400 Yuan for 5 kilogram.
