Taiwanese produce importers anticipate a good deal for seafreighted Chilean cherries in the run-up to the Chinese New Year, providing quality is good.
The lower price of Chilean compared to New Zealand cherries, and the later date (10 February) of the festival bodes well for South American trade.
“Cherries make a great gift for Chinese New Year. Since Chinese New Year falls later this year there will be more time to digest big seafreight cherry volumes from Chile,” Eason Chi of importer Coverings International told Asiafruit.
“Last year Chinese New Year was very early and too much volume arrived on or afterwards, causing the market to crash. If the quality is good, it will be a good year for Chilean cherries.”
An influx of cheaper Chilean product will affect New Zealand cherry sales which, given their high price and low volumes, are considered more of a high-end niche item.
On top of the limited volume they can typically supply (650-700 tonnes), the February timing also puts New Zealand shippers at a disadvantage, said Steven Chu of Steven Chu & Associates.
But with the Chilean cherry crop now facing lower yields as a result of heavy rainfall in recent weeks, New Zealand fruit may find more of an opening in the Taiwanese market than previous expected.
