Tasmanian cherry exporters are launching their 2026 season with a special promotional event in Hong Kong this week, showcasing the island state’s premium fruit to one of its most important markets.
The inaugural seasonal launch event today will allow invited guests to sample the first fresh cherries of the export season while learning about production forecasts and industry developments.
“We are excited to host this inaugural seasonal launch event in Hong Kong, a very important and long standing market for Tasmanian cherries,” said Peter Cornish, Chief Executive Officer of Fruit Growers Tasmania.
Hong Kong consistently ranks among the top three export markets for Tasmanian cherries.
“Last season, Hong Kong received 22% of the total export volume from Tasmania,” Cornish said.
Despite challenging market dynamics with high volumes of imported fruit driving down price expectations across Asia, Tasmanian growers are banking on their superior quality to stand out.
The state’s cherries are known for their dark colour, large size and sweetness, reaching Asian markets within 72 hours of being handpicked.
“Our cherries are handpicked, cooled to 1-2 degrees celsius then carefully packed into boxes to seal in the freshness,” Cornish added.
This season’s export cherries are running slightly behind schedule due to cooler spring and early summer conditions in Australia’s southernmost state, but this timing may prove advantageous.
“This should work in our favour, as the Lunar New Year 2026 is a little later too,” Cornish said.
The industry is also embracing the symbolism of the upcoming Year of the Fire Horse in the Chinese zodiac.
“As 2026 is the year of the Fire Horse, we feel it signifies the passion and determination of our growers and the importance of our trade relationships in a challenging trade environment,” Cornish said.
