Cherry production volume in Argentine will decrease by 14% in spite of the initial positive forecast

In this year, the Argentine cherry production volume was expected to exceed the production volume of 2020, due to the increase in the hectares planted and the entry into production of young fruit trees. However, the frosts and winds of recent months complicated the situation and now it is projected to reach 4.100 tons, 14% less YOY.

This was indicated in a report recently developed by the Institute for Rural Development - IDR (Argentine).

If you observe previous years, the volumes are very different. In 2015 it was 2.035 tons of cherries, but in 2017 there were 5.901 tons. That number dropped to 2.346 tons in 2018 and continued to decrease to 2.245 tons in 2019. In that sense, keeping the last two harvests above 4.000 tons is a good result.

According to Diego Aguilar, president of the Mendoza Cherry Chamber, the weather problems changed the positive expectations for this season. There is less setting than usual, due to the frost and the Zonda wind.

The Zonda wind lowers the humidity and dehydrates, and as a result the pollen does not find a way to curdle and that means less fruit.

Regarding the frost, Aguilar explained that it is difficult to estimate the damage, because there are affected fruits that show damage at the moment, but other fruits continue to grow for up to fifteen days and suddenly they fall off. Above all, it can lead to natural thinning, by which some fruits die, but the tree supports those that continue to live.

The president concluded that the early fruits suffered more damage and it is unknown what effect this will have at the end of the season. Producers from the north of Mendoza River are practically finishing their harvest. At most, it will last one more week, which is earlier than usual.

source: losandes.com.ar

photo: lanacion.com.ar