Spanish cherries are coming! China and Spain sign a protocol for the export of fresh cherries to China
According to the official website of the Spanish Fruit and Vegetable Export Federation (FEPEX), during the visit of Spanish Prime Minister Sanchez to China, Spanish Minister of Agriculture Luis Planas and Director General of the General Administration of Customs of China Sun Meijun signed a protocol on the export of cherries to China. FEPEX said that interested Spanish exporters must now register at a special registry that will soon be opened by the Ministry of Agriculture and then pass a compliance audit. Spain is the European country with the most fruit exports to China, including citrus (tangerines, oranges, grapefruits, lemons), peaches, plums, grapes and persimmons. In recent years, the cherry planting area in Spain has increased significantly, especially in the main production area of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, bordering France, there are about 13,250 hectares of cherry orchards, accounting for more than 40% of the total cherry production in Spain. Affected by climate change, the production of Spanish cherries fluctuates greatly. The export volume also fluctuates with the production, and the export price is about 3.7 euros/kg. In the seven years from 2016 to 2022, the highest production value appeared in 2021 (127,000 tons) and the lowest value was in 2020 (83,000 tons). In 2023, the cherry production in Aragon will be 48,600 tons. In 2024, due to the high temperature during the flowering period, the local cherry production will be significantly reduced. In 2024, the total export volume of Spanish cherries will be 39,968 tons, of which 33,440 tons will be sold to the EU and 6,528 tons will be sold outside the EU. The UK is the largest non-EU market with an import volume of 5,725 tons, followed by Hong Kong, China (103 tons) and South Africa (100 tons). Image source: FEPEX2025 International Fruit and Vegetable Report All rights reserved. Please contact International Fruit and Vegetable Report for permission and indicate the source as International Fruit and Vegetable Report.