The first batch of Argentine cherries arrived in China in early November, and the export volume is expected to drop below 8,000 tons.

According to forecasts, cherry production in the provinces of Río Negro and Neuquén will decline, potentially causing exports to fall below the previous season's 8,000 tons. Argentina's cherry exports are mainly concentrated in these two provinces, but both regions' orchards have experienced fruit drop.

Some degree of fruit drop for certain varieties is a normal phenomenon, especially after a bumper year. However, the fruit drop issue this year is particularly severe, with preliminary judgments attributing the cause to the impact of climate change.

Although the cold temperature accumulation during winter reached this year's average, the quality of the cold temperatures was poor. Sharp temperature fluctuations in May and July likely had a physiological impact on the fruit trees, ultimately affecting the fruit set rate and fruit retention rate. Coupled with the effects of a warm spring and consistently high temperatures, the production season started earlier but with severe fruit drop. It is reported that the fruit drop has affected only the yield, not the quality, and most batches of cherries are of excellent quality.

As early as September 30, cherry trials in the province of Jujuy in northwestern Argentina began to be harvested. However, these are still in the small-scale trial phase and have not yet reached large-scale market availability. Currently, early cherries from Mendoza province are already on the market in Argentina, but due to fruit fly issues, these cherries cannot be exported to the Chinese market.

According to the Argentine Comprehensive Cherry Producers Association (CAPCI), the first batch of cherries bound for China will be shipped from the Negro River Valley in the coming days. If harvesting starts on October 28, these cherries will arrive in China in early November (November 4).