Three complex seasons have marked the cherry industry; from everything related to the pandemic, the tightening of virus controls by China, the logistical crisis that generated huge delays in the transfer and customs clearance of the fruit, to the lack of labor, have made these last three campaigns real challenges for producers of the red fruit.
In addition to all of the above, the 2021-22 season saw an earlier Chinese New Year, which meant that many producers, mainly from later areas, were unable to arrive with their fruit before this holiday and take advantage of the good prices prior to the Chinese New Year.
But amidst the complications, the Santina was the big winner of the recent season. According to the article “Postosehca of our main varieties of cherries” This is an early variety from ARS Summerland (Canada) resulting from the crossing of Stella and Summit. The tree of this variety is semi-vigorous, with a semi-erect habit, self-fertile, and sensitive to bacterial canker (FDF, 2010). It has a medium winter chill requirement (600 to 800 hrs. below 7°C).
The fruit is medium to large in size (26 to 30 mm depending on the rootstock, load and vigor of the plant), with good flavor (14-19°Brix) and good firmness (average 77 DU). It is heart-shaped, with a very noticeable suture and its pedicel is medium to long in length.
It is an early to mid-season harvest variety (second week of November in the Metropolitan Region and third week of November in the O'Higgins Region).
His last season
The Santina variety, an early harvest as indicated above, reached shipments of 85,136 tons in the recent cherry campaign, while in the 2020-21 season, 63,546 tons. Although it was below Lapins, a variety that once again topped the list of Chilean cherry exports, Santina's growth was 341 TP3T compared to the previous campaign, while Lapins decreased by 91 TP3T.
According to data provided by IQonsulting in its latest international cherry yearbook, the three varieties that lead national cherry exports are: Lapins, Santina and Regina, representing 78 percent of the total.
The recent campaign and the upcoming one, with a Chinese New Year 10 days earlier, point to the need for a varietal change towards earlier varieties such as Santina, in order to strengthen the export window that, in turn, allows the fruit to reach its destination before the Chinese holiday.
