Air Freight Cost for Australian Cherries Doubles, Even With Subsidies

According to projections from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service, the production of Australian cherries in marketing year (MY) 2020/21 is expected to increase to 21,000 metric tons, assuming that the weather holds steady. Official statistics for the production volume in MY 2019/20 have not yet been released, although current industry projections put last year’s figure at approximately 18,500 metric tons.

Cherries are highly sensitive to environmental factors, and consequently each country’s annual production can fluctuate greatly from year to year. For example, in Australia, the production volume in MY 2018/19 was 20,000 metric tons, almost double the 11,000 metric tons produced in MY 2016/17.