Valparaíso Port, along with 45 stakeholders in the logistics chain, has begun preparations for the season of Chilean cherry shipments to China.
This year, the exporting sector faces a shorter window for shipments due to the Chinese New Year falling on January 29, which is 12 days earlier than the date celebrated in 2024.
Preliminary estimates suggest that around 100 million boxes of cherries will be exported, representing significant growth compared to the 87 million boxes moved during the previous season.
The concessionaire, Terminal Pacífico Sur (TPS), achieved a record transfer of 213,206 tons during the 2023-2024 season.
Following the initial coordination meeting, which included the Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG), the exporting sector represented by Frutas de Chile, all concessionaires at Valparaíso Port, transporters, customs chambers, and shipping companies, among others, Franco Gandolfo, the general manager of Valparaíso Port, commented:
Chile’s advantages lie primarily in its extensive experience as a producing country, which has been key to accessing major global markets. This prestige is reflected in significant achievements, such as being the world’s largest cherry exporter during the 2023-2024 season.
The executive added:
In addition to the above, we must highlight our vast experience as an exporting country, particularly from Valparaíso Port. Our strategic geographical location is close to important agricultural sectors nationwide. Furthermore, for many years, Valparaíso has stood out for the efficiency of its logistical model, which not only adds security, traceability, and value through available information technology but is also distinguished by high standards of operational continuity and coordination among the actors in the port logistics system through the Valparaíso Port Logistics Forum (Folovap).
Finally, the executive emphasized that, as has been done in previous years, a series of meetings will be held through Folovap to prepare for and monitor the development of the cherry season and ensure a successful arrival at destination markets.
Raúl Guzmán, Operations Manager at TPS, stated:
We are very pleased to hold a first general coordination meeting among public and private stakeholders at Valparaíso Port, aimed at delivering excellent service to our customers and those who choose us, including both shipping lines and exporters. This is a historic moment where we want to work collaboratively, including exporters, port companies, off-port depots, shipping lines, and, of course, us as a terminal, to enhance the country’s image and ensure that Chilean cherries reach the Asian market on time, primarily to meet the demand during the lunar new year.
Guzmán highlighted:
As TPS, together with shipping lines, we were pioneers many years ago with the first Express Service from Chile to Asia. Today, we are pleased to see that two of our regular services will transit the route between Valparaíso and the Asian continent in a shorter time. We hope that new stakeholders will join this new season, including reefer ships, which are evaluating possible participation in this process.
Rodrigo Gallardo, Secretary General of Frutas de Chile, remarked:
The expectation in the industry is that this will be a record season, and barring any climatic issues at the start of the harvest, we expect to exceed 100 million boxes exported, with China being the preferred destination. The increased volume available, the current situation in Chimbarongo regarding the discovery of two adult fruit flies in a residential area, and the timing of the Chinese New Year (a week earlier than in the 2023-2024 season) present significant challenges for the exporting sector and the logistics chain.
Gallardo added that the increased volume will require additional promotional efforts in destination markets, especially in the weeks leading up to the Chinese New Year, as well as in other markets of interest to the industry, such as the United States and Southeast Asia (particularly India). Finally, the timing of the Chinese New Year also poses additional challenges.
With the date moving a week earlier than the previous season, it means that the peak of shipments will also need to be advanced, potentially occurring in week 49, which we can confirm once the first estimate from the Cherry Committee of Frutas de Chile is published in October.
Luis Celedón, head of the SAG office in Valparaíso, indicated:
Valparaíso is one of the main ports, and we work daily to ensure it maintains first-line operational capacity. With cherry exports, we race against time from the moment we harvest and pack until we reach the port. We have limited days to be on supermarket shelves for our consumers. Therefore, any delay is costly for us, and a port that provides us with security is what we seek, which we find in Valparaíso.
During the 2023-2024 season, the greatest increase in cherry transfers was in reefer containers, which rose by 27% compared to the previous season, with records of 211,810 tons versus 167,010 tons.
Finally, the main destinations were the Far East, which accounted for 96%, while the remaining 4% was sent to Europe, North America, and Latin America. Notably, TPS recorded peak shipments during January 2023, with shipments ranging from 1,100 to 1,400 containers per ship.
