Russia’s cherry imports from Georgia reach record $606,800 in June
Russia imported $606,800 of cherries and sour cherries from Georgia in June 2026, 29 times the $21,000 recorded a year earlier. The trade reached its highest value since shipments began in 2014, although Georgian fruit deliveries remain highly seasonal.
June imports rise 29-fold
Russia’s imports of cherries and sour cherries from Georgia reached a record value of $606,800 in June 2026, according to data from Georgia’s National Statistics Office, Geostat, reported by Vestnik Kavkaza and KP.RU. The figure was 29 times the $21,000 registered in June of the previous year.
The comparison points to a sharp change in the value of the bilateral fruit trade, but the available figures do not show how much of the increase came from higher shipment volumes or higher prices. Neither publication provided tonnage or an average price for the June cherry consignments. The record therefore refers to the declared trade value rather than a confirmed record in physical volume.
KP.RU, citing Georgian statistics analyzed by RIA Novosti, said the June result was the highest since Georgia began supplying these fruits to Russia in 2014. Vestnik Kavkaza likewise described the monthly value as a historical maximum.
A short and irregular trading season
Georgian cherries and sour cherries typically enter the Russian market between May and July. However, shipments are not recorded consistently in every month. KP.RU reported that in 2026 imports were registered only in June, concentrating the year’s reported trade within a single month.
This narrow window matters for growers, packers and traders. Fresh cherries are perishable, while harvesting, sorting, cooling and transport must be coordinated within a limited period. A surge concentrated in June can strengthen demand for Georgian fruit during the harvest, but it also leaves suppliers exposed to short-term changes in prices, logistics and Russian wholesale demand.
The figures also show that the increase was part of broader seasonal fruit activity between the two countries. Russia imported $579,700 of Georgian peaches and nectarines in June, up from $3,100 in May, according to KP.RU. As with cherries, the data supplied for these products were expressed in value rather than volume.
Russia remains central to Georgian fruit exports
Recent apple trade provides a wider indication of Russia’s role in Georgia’s fruit sector. Between August 2025 and May 2026, Georgia exported 23,600 tonnes of apples, of which 22,200 tonnes went to Russia, KP.RU reported, citing Georgia’s Ministry of Agriculture. That means Russia received the large majority of Georgian apple shipments during the period.
Georgia’s apple exports increased by 30% in volume and 53% in value, reaching $17.4 million. The average export price was $0.74 per kilogram, 17% higher than in the previous season. Although apples have a different harvest and storage profile from cherries, these figures underline the importance of Russian demand for Georgian fruit producers and exporters.
For the cherry market, the June record establishes a new value benchmark but does not yet demonstrate a sustained expansion. The trade remains seasonal and irregular, and the lack of volume data makes it impossible to separate price effects from changes in physical supply. Subsequent monthly and seasonal statistics will determine whether June marked an exceptional shipment window or a broader increase in Georgia’s presence in Russia’s fresh-fruit market.
