Cherry export coup for Tassie

ALMOST half the production of one of Tasmania's biggest cherry growers is now being exported to China.

From tomorrow, 20 tonnes of quality cherries will be sent daily to Beijing and Shanghai from Reid Fruits Packing sheds at Huonville.

After months of finalising protocols, the first shipment of 10 tonnes left today for Beijing.

The Tasmanian cherries, packed in 2kg and 5kg boxes, will be on Beijing supermarket shelves by lunchtime on Friday.

The importer for premium large cherries will pay up to $85 for a 5kg box.

"Every day to the end of the season we will be shipping 10 tonnes of quality cherries to each city," Reid Fruits managing director Tim Reid said.

"This is a big outcome for the Australian cherry industry.

"We have been working on this project for more than a decade.

"It will be a whole new market for the industry leading to more jobs."

The cherries are ripe for gift-giving as the Chinese celebrate New Year on February 10.

Mr Reid said Tasmania's disease-free status satisfied stringent quarantine requirements.

Fruit Growers Tasmania business development manager Lucy Gregg said the Chinese market presented huge opportunities for Tasmanian growers.

"This is a fantastic opportunity for Tasmanian cherry growers and exporters to access another key Asian market. We currently have access to Taiwan, South Korea and Japan due to our area-free status for fruit fly and a range of other non-protocol markets across Asia, Europe and other regions," Ms Gregg said.

Ten Tasmanian growers have indicated that they would like to send cherries to China this season but more than 50 growers may consider sending fruit into the Chinese market next season.

Read more rural stories in Tasmanian Country, out on Friday.

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