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Rain Threatens Cherry Harvest Season in Spain

Rain and hail storms have impacted cherry production in Aragon and Extremadura, as well as in the Alicante region, reducing initial harvest expectations.

Generic image of cherries showing signs of rain.
IA

Generic image of cherries showing signs of rain.

The first cherries are appearing in supermarkets, but the producing sector, spread across Aragon, Extremadura, and Alicante, is concerned about rain and hail storms that have already damaged some of the fruit on the trees.

Spain has 31,142 hectares of cherry trees, with significant areas in Aragon (11,979 ha) and Extremadura (9,595 ha), followed by the Valencian Community (2,857 ha). According to the Survey on Cultivated Areas and Yields (Esyrce) 2025 from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA), all autonomous communities cultivate cherries except for the Canary Islands, Madrid, and Cantabria.
José Antonio Tierno, president of the Cherry Committee of the fruit and vegetable association Fepex, has indicated that initial forecasts of a 60 million kilo harvest in Aragon and 40 million in Extremadura have been lowered due to hail and rain, respectively. Catalonia expects 13 million kilos, a 10% increase from the previous year, and despite meteorological complications, the sector anticipates a "good season".
Last weekend's rains have caused significant damage due to 'cracking' in some mid-season varieties ready for harvest. In Extremadura, where the harvest has advanced by 10 to 20 days, estimates have dropped to 30 million kilos. In Aragon, storms with hail in areas like Mequinenza, Épila, and La Almunia de Doña Godina have resulted in the loss of 30% to 40% of the early cherry crop.
From the Cereza de Caderechas (Burgos) guarantee brand, covering 39 hectares, a harvest similar to last year's, one of the best in the last five years, is expected. The flowering period was favorable, with no frost, and harvesting is anticipated to begin in early June and continue until late August.
Regarding prices, the first reference for the 2026 campaign (week 18) was 4.89 euros/kilo, lower than the 6.10 euros/kilo of the previous year. In week 19, the price has fallen to 2.88 euros/kg.
In the Montaña de Alicante region, the season initially looked promising in terms of quantity, but May rains have caused cracking issues. Production is expected to be between four and five million kilos, and the sector regrets that agricultural insurance has reduced its coverage for damages.
Although MAPA announced authorization for the import of Spanish cherries to China in August 2025, no shipments have yet been made. Several Spanish companies are interested and registered for export but await explicit consent from Chinese authorities.

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