Nashdale cherry-grower Andrew Gartrell will export 200 tonnes of cherries to Hong Kong this year - about two thirds of his crop.

This week he hosted a two-day visit from Frances Cheung of the Australian Government’s Austrade Hong Kong office.

Mr Gartrell said there was great potential in Asian markets for Australian farmers.

“We recently did a trade show in Hong Kong and received an enormous amount of enquiry from all over Asia,” he said. “For the right sort of product there is enormous opportunity.”

Mr Gartrell is also hopeful Asia will be a lucrative market for his new cherry juice products.

Ms Cheung has been visiting Mr Gartrell’s orchard to gain a better feel for the industry to help her better sell the product to potential Hong Kong buyers.

“In Hong Kong, Australia has a reputation as a clean and green country ... this visit is important because it is my first visit to orchards and when I talk to the importers again I can tell them about the whole process,” she said.

Cherries are considered a premium product in Hong Kong and with Christmas coming just as cherries come into season, the market is ripe for the picking.

“There are 6.9 million people in Hong Kong and people usually like to send a premium gift on Christmas and New Year’s,” Ms Cheung said. “During that time people would be happy to pay more.”