Shanghai, China's most active port, is preparing to receive a record influx of Chilean cherries, with over 250,000 tons expected before the Chinese New Year, which will be celebrated in February, according to city customs authorities. With the start of the 2025-2026 Chilean cherry harvest season, cargo vessels known as "Cherry Express" have already sent two shipments to Shanghai so far this month, with a total volume of 216.9 tons, the Argentine News Agency learned. According to Shanghai Customs, on the eve of the New Year and the traditional Chinese New Year, the period of highest consumption of this fruit in the country will begin. Authorities estimate that imports of Chilean cherries this season will be two to three times higher than last year, reinforcing China's growing importance as a market for this product. To cope with the seasonal surge, Shanghai Customs has implemented more advanced intelligent supervision technologies. In this context, it is expected that about 31 "Cherry Express" vessels will arrive at Yangshan Port before the festivities, with potential deliveries of around 250,000 tons of cherries. From Shanghai, the fruit can be efficiently distributed to various points across China, further boosting bilateral trade. Among these is the "intelligent evaluation system for the effects of cold treatment" applied to fresh fruit. Additionally, the customs agency has established a cooperation mechanism with its Chilean counterpart, which allows the Chinese side to access and verify the necessary data online, significantly improving customs clearance efficiency.
