Delays of between seven and ten days reported across all the main cherry producing regions
Fepex’s Cherry Committee is forecasting a slight delay to the start of the new Spanish season. Picking in Extremadura, the first region to begin harvesting, is expected to get underway around 10-15 May, some ten days later than normal.
Delays of between seven and ten days are being reported in the main production areas of Extremadura, Aragon, Catalonia, and Alicante. Regarding the outlook for this year, a normal campaign is expected in terms of volumes and good sizes.
The Committee welcomed the recent opening of the Chinese market to Spanish cherry exports following the signing of the new phytosanitary protocol between the two countries.
In order to begin exporting, interested companies will have to register in a special registry, which will be established shortly by the Ministry of Agriculture, and will also have to pass a compliance audit, scheduled for the end of May.
The signing of the protocol for Spanish cherry exports to China will open up new export opportunities for Spanish cherries, which have seen significant growth in recent years. In 2024 exports totalled 39,968 tonnes, with around 33,440 tonnes going to the European Union.
A further 6,528 tonnes went to non-EU market. The UK was the biggest, accounting for 5,725 tonnes of shipments, followed by Hong Kong (103 tonnes) and South Africa (100 tonnes). The total value of exports last year was €139mn.
