Cherries growing at a farm near the town of Rengo in Chile.
Photographer: Cristóbal Olivares/Bloomberg

Chile's Powerhouse Cherry Industry Strives to Satisfy Chinese Buyers

Hue, crunch and a lithe green stem: behind the quest for the perfect fruit to keep China gobbling and prices afloat

By James Attwood, Antonia Mufarech, and Srinidhi Ragavendran

December 10, 2025 at 9:00 PM UTC

Updated on

December 11, 2025 at 12:22 PM UTC

Chile’s bustling cherry industry has flourished from a niche crop into a multi-billion-dollar export sensation, accounting for roughly half of global shipments and generating more revenue for the South American country last year than its coveted battery metal lithium. Nine out of 10 Chilean cherries go to China, where the fruit lands in time for Lunar New Year celebrations while northern hemisphere orchards in places like the US, Spain and Turkey lie dormant.

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