By Alicia Gutiérrez | 2023-09-29

SANTIAGO -- As Chile's O'Higgins region marked the beginning of the 2023–2024 cherry season this month, with exports of red cherries headed primarily to China, environmentalists warned of the impact of increased demand for the fruit.

Red cherries are in high demand for Lunar New Year festivities, as Chinese consumers associate them with prosperity and good luck for the coming year.

But the environmental consequences of the booming cherry production operation in South America are often overlooked, with some cherry growers in Chile facing allegations of water and land hoarding.

Chilean Minister of Agriculture Esteban Valenzuela and Chinese Ambassador to Chile Niu Qingbao attended "The Blossoming of the Cherry Tree" event together on September 14, opening the cherry season in O'Higgins region.

The attendance of the Beijing representative at the event, orchestrated by the Association of Fruit Exporters and Producers of Chile (ASOEX), underscored the significance of the Chinese market for Chilean cherries.

Chile is the primary producer and exporter of cherries in the southern hemisphere, with more than 90% of the off-season supply directed to China.

At the September event, ASOEX Cherry Committee executive director Claudia Soler emphasized the commitment to expanding production.

"Cherries are the epitome of fruits, and we aim to grow with the plantations that already exist, increase volume and export," she said.

The initial projection for this season is 100 million boxes, approximately 400,000 tons, she said. But the committee is closely monitoring the flowering stage, as weather conditions play a pivotal role in determining the success of the harvest.

Decline in harvest volume

While China eagerly awaits the timely delivery of the cherry harvest from South America, Chile is grappling with the challenge of ramping up efforts to meet the soaring demand from Chinese consumers during their festivities.

One of the hurdles Chile faces is climate change, which is exacerbated by consistent environmental degradation and its adverse effects on agricultural regions.

A decline in harvest volume is anticipated due to the challenges posed by climate change, according to technical advisor and consultant Walter Masman, who specializes in cherries.

"In certain areas, we've experienced a 30 to 40% reduction in cold hours compared to the previous year's warmest periods," he told Entorno.

"Coupled with the subpar quality of the cold we did have, and warmer months of July and August, this is significantly impacting the phenological outcome," he said.

Masman pointed out that a decline in volume is highly probable, challenging both the industry guild and the government's initial projection of 100 million boxes.

"There have been a reduced floral supply and noticeable irregularity in blossoming. The rains have adversely impacted the trees, potentially leading to wood diseases, expected to manifest as temperatures rise," he noted.

Increase in water use

The Chilean agricultural model was modified in the late 1970s, said Alexander Panez of Concepción-based Bio-Bio University's department of social sciences.

Panez is a member of WATERLAT-GOBACIT, an international network for teaching, research and practical action on the politics and management of water.

During the 1973–1990 military dictatorship, the idea was raised that Chile could become the world's agricultural pantry, he said in an interview with the Land Portal website.

An infusion of technology into farming affected apples, grapes and hazelnuts first and other agricultural products later, he said.

Eventually, such practices reached the cherry crop, which Chile began to export to China after the signing of the Free Trade Agreement of 2005.

He noted that the Aculeo lagoon, in a region of central Chile near Santiago where cherries are harvested for export to China, is rapidly disappearing because of the extraction of water for cherry production.

"The increase in the use of water became more evident, especially from 2010 on, when a 'mega-drought' began in Chile and lasted a little over a decade," he said.

This saw a historical decrease in rainfall in central and south-central Chile, which pushed various communities, environmental organizations and NGOs to pressure the government to look into the impact of this agricultural model, Panez said.

A study on the disappearance of the Aculeo lagoon was published on the portal of the Multidisciplinary Institute of Digital Publications (MDPI).

According to the study, "direct and vital tributaries" such as the Pintué and Las Cabras estuaries have been "irresponsibly diverted to supply mainly large-scale agriculture and condominiums that were installed in the area."

This has left the lagoon and its wetland areas "without their vital source of life."

Overexploitation of the land

Panez noted that Chinese entrepreneurs have acquired Chilean land to cultivate various agricultural crops, including grapes for the production of wine and cherries.

"This has significantly elevated their value in the Chinese market, leading Chinese businessmen to engage directly in the production of this fruit," he said.

The main problem is the current pattern of agriculture around the world, with the overexploitation of the land and its assets, he warned, which can create scarcity for future generations in the long term.

The demand for food that exists in China today, among a sector of its population with increased purchasing power, is putting pressure on other countries, he said.

This is not only an issue with China and Chile; "it is an issue of food production globally," Panez said.

If the excessive use of water and land continues, he said, Chile will not have enough water for other, more vital, crops.

This will only be exacerbated by climate change, he added.