COMPETITION IN THE INTERNATIONAL CHERRY MARKET: A COMPETITIVENESS ANALYSIS OF THE DEVELOPING COUNTRY

This research assesses the competitiveness of Chilean cherry exports, with a specific focus on the Chinese market, identifying sectoral challenges and opportunities. Implementing quantitative, descriptive and non-experimental methodologies based on previous studies (Montes Ninaquispe et al., 2023), it utilizes the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) for market diversification, the Trade Competitiveness Index (TC), and the Revealed Comparative Advantage Index (RCA) based on previous studies (Arbulú Ballesteros et al., 2024). The analysis reveals a significant concentration of exports to China, representing over 88 percent of Chile’s total cherry exports from 2018 to 2022, despite market volatility and a general trend of growth in both volume and value. The HHI indicates a high concentration risk due to dependency on the Chinese market, while the TC and RCA highlight a strong competitive and comparative advantage in this sector. The study concludes the need for market diversification to reduce dependency risks, suggesting the exploration of new markets like Thailand, South Korea, and Ecuador, alongside improvements in marketing strategies. Additionally, it recommends enhancing corporate innovation and operational efficiency via advanced production technologies and optimizing logistics and supply chain management to sustain the competitive advantage of Chilean cherry exports.