Catalog buyer guide · Cherries
Cherry purchase specification: size, firmness, defects and packing explained
Sources reviewed: · SeedMatch Group editorial team
Short answer
A cherry specification should name variety, origin, quality class, minimum diameter in millimetres, colour range, firmness, stem condition, defect tolerances, pack format and cold-chain records. The UNECE standard (2017 edition) sets minimum sizes of 20 mm for Extra Class and 17 mm for Classes I and II; most buyers add stricter commercial criteria.
What the international standard actually requires
The UNECE Standard FFV-13 for cherries (2017 edition) is the reference most trading partners use for quality language. In every class, cherries must be intact, sound, clean, fresh in appearance, practically free from pests and pest damage, firm according to the variety, free of abnormal external moisture and free of foreign smell or taste. Missing stems are not regarded as a defect provided the skin is not damaged and there is no severe leakage of juice.
The fruit must be sufficiently developed and show satisfactory maturity, and its development and condition must allow it to withstand transport and arrive in satisfactory condition. These are minimums: the standard does not define a commercial firmness value, a sugar level or a colour chart, so those belong in the buyer's own specification.
Sources: [1] United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)
Classes, sizes and tolerances in one table
Size is determined by the maximum diameter of the equatorial section. The tolerances below apply by number or weight within each lot.
- Each package must contain cherries of the same origin, variety and quality, reasonably uniform in size.
- The visible part of a package must be representative of the entire contents.
| Class | Quality wording | Minimum diameter | Quality tolerance | Size tolerance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Extra | Superior quality, characteristic of the variety; only very slight superficial defects. Uniform colouring and ripeness required. | 20 mm | 5% meeting Class I | 10% |
| Class I | Good quality; slight defects in shape and colouring allowed. | 17 mm | 10% meeting Class II | 10% |
| Class II | Meets minimum requirements; defects in shape and colouring and small healed surface scars allowed. | 17 mm | 10% meeting neither class nor minimums (limits apply within that) | 10% |
Sources: [1] United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)
The fields a buyer specification should add
SeedMatch analysis
Because the standard leaves commercial thresholds open, a workable cherry specification usually states the following. Values are set by the buyer and confirmed in the supplier's offer; none are SeedMatch defaults.
Variety and origin
Named variety or an accepted list of equivalents, country and growing region, and whether mixed varieties per pack are refused (the standard already requires one variety per package).
Size
A minimum diameter in millimetres (for example a commercial size band above the 20 mm or 17 mm floor) and how it will be checked on arrival. If the trade in your market uses row sizes, state the conversion you accept.
Colour and maturity
A colour range for the variety and, if you use it, a minimum soluble solids reading. As one regional example, UC Davis notes that California's minimum maturity requires at least light red colour across the surface and/or 14–16% soluble solids depending on variety; your destination and programme may differ.
Firmness and stems
The firmness method and threshold you will test against, and stem requirements (attached, green, no brown or dry stems), since stem condition is a visible sign of handling temperature.
Defects
Your limits for cracking, pitting, bruising, decay and soft fruit, in addition to the class tolerances above.
Packing and labelling
Pack type and net weight, liner or modified-atmosphere bag if required, carton marking, and the packer or exporter identification required by the destination.
Sources: [1] United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), [2] UC Davis Postharvest Research and Extension Center
Cold chain and arrival checks
UC Davis gives an optimum storage temperature for sweet cherries of −0.5 ± 0.5 °C at 90–95% relative humidity. Fast cooling after harvest and an unbroken cold chain protect firmness, stem colour and decay resistance.
Ask for pre-cooling and pulp-temperature records, the transit mode (air or reefer), container set-point and logger data, and agree how and where arrival inspection will be done before the order is confirmed.
Sources: [2] UC Davis Postharvest Research and Extension Center
Import documents and market access
Cherries crossing borders normally travel with a phytosanitary certificate issued by the exporting country's plant protection organisation, following the IPPC format in ISPM 12. Many destinations also require a specific protocol, registered orchards and packhouses, or pre-shipment treatment for a given origin; China's access rules for cherries are one example.
Residue limits are set by the destination country. The Codex database is a useful reference, but the importing country's own maximum residue limits apply and must be checked for each active substance used.
- Phytosanitary certificate and any additional declarations required by the destination.
- Confirmation that the origin, orchard and packhouse are admitted for the destination, where a protocol applies.
- Residue test results against destination limits, with the laboratory named.
- Packing list, commercial invoice and the agreed Incoterm.
Sources: [3] International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), FAO, [4] Codex Alimentarius (FAO/WHO)
From specification to request
SeedMatch analysis
The catalog cherry page includes a request form that captures variety, size, quality, packing, volume and delivery window. A complete specification reduces back-and-forth and lets the team compare offers on the same basis. Buyers state a target quantity and window; SeedMatch does not publish prices or availability, and every offer must be confirmed in writing.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum cherry size in the UNECE standard?
The UNECE Standard FFV-13 (2017 edition) sets a minimum diameter of 20 mm for Extra Class and 17 mm for Classes I and II, measured at the maximum diameter of the equatorial section, with a 10% size tolerance in all classes.
Are missing stems a defect?
Not under the UNECE minimum requirements, provided the skin is not damaged and there is no severe leakage of juice. Many buyers still require stems attached and green, so state it in your specification if it matters to you.
Does the standard set a firmness or sugar value?
No. It requires cherries to be firm according to the variety and sufficiently mature. Firmness tests, soluble solids minimums and colour ranges are commercial criteria the buyer sets and the supplier confirms.
What temperature should cherries be held at?
UC Davis gives −0.5 ± 0.5 °C at 90–95% relative humidity as optimum storage conditions for sweet cherries. Ask for pre-cooling and transit temperature records with each shipment.
Does SeedMatch sell cherries or quote prices?
No. SeedMatch Group coordinates buyer requests through a human-reviewed process; it does not grow, pack or ship fruit and does not publish prices. Buyers use the service free and supplier contact is mediated.
Ready to send a cherry specification?
Use the cherry request in the catalog to send variety, size, class, packing, volume and delivery window. A specialist reviews each request before any supplier is approached. Commercial programmes start at USD 250,000.
Produce procurement is coordinated through Global B2B Group, SeedMatch Group's parent group. globalb2bgroup.com
Each participant remains responsible under applicable law for the requirements of its own role. Producers and exporters are responsible for the products and shipments they supply; buyers and importers for import permissions, local requirements and due diligence. This article is not legal or regulatory advice.
Availability and the ability to trade depend on the law of each origin, destination and transit country and on the relevant permits and approvals. SeedMatch Group is not a manufacturer, importer, exporter, seller or regulatory approver; requests are reviewed by our team before any commercial introduction. Each participant is responsible for the requirements of its own role under applicable law: suppliers for their products in the origin and destination countries, buyers for their own import permissions and due diligence. We do not guarantee any supplier's compliance. Participant responsibilities · Regulation & restricted items
Related catalog pages and guides
References
Official standards and research sources cited in this guide. Points marked “SeedMatch analysis” are our interpretation.
- UNECE Standard FFV-13 concerning the marketing and commercial quality control of cherries (2017 edition) — United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) · 2017
- Cherry: produce facts — maturity, quality and postharvest handling — UC Davis Postharvest Research and Extension Center · accessed 2026-10-27
- ISPM 12: Phytosanitary certificates — International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), FAO · accessed 2026-10-27
- Codex pesticide residues in food — maximum residue limits database — Codex Alimentarius (FAO/WHO) · accessed 2026-10-27