Should I use MAP bags or micro-perforated liners for the Chile-to-Asia sea route?

For sea shipments of roughly 20 days or longer (Chile to China is typically 22–35 days), a sealed MAP box liner protects stems and firmness better because it holds a low-O₂, elevated-CO₂ atmosphere for the whole transit. For air freight or transits under about 15 days, a laser micro-perforated liner is usually the better choice: it costs less, needs no sealing equipment and carries no risk of off-flavors from an over-modified atmosphere.

What liner size fits a 5 kg cherry export box?

Work from the inside dimensions of your carton. A practical formula: liner flat width = box width + box height + 40–60 mm; liner length = box length + box height + 150–200 mm overhang for closing or sealing. For the mainstream 5 kg box of about 300 × 500 mm footprint, that gives a liner in the region of 450–500 mm flat width × 750–850 mm length. Always confirm against your actual carton and fill weight before printing.

When should Chilean and Peruvian exporters confirm cherry bag orders?

September–October. The Chilean cherry season runs roughly November to January, printed film needs artwork confirmed 10–12 weeks before you need bags in the packhouse, and production plus sea freight to South American ports takes 15–25 days ex-works plus 30–45 days transit. Orders confirmed after October usually depend on air freight or already-produced stock sizes.

Do MAP cherry liners need a heat sealer?

Sealed MAP performs most consistently, so packhouses running MAP liners normally use a simple impulse or band sealer at the packing line. Some passive MAP liners are designed to be folded and taped instead. Micro-perforated liners never need sealing — folding the liner over the fruit is enough, which is one reason they suit smaller packhouses.

Can cherry bags and liners be printed with our brand?

Yes. We print up to 8 colors with food-contact-safe inks on liners, flow-pack film and retail zipper pouches. Red and gold designs are the most requested for cherry gift formats sold in Asia. Artwork should be locked 10–12 weeks before your required delivery date.

Can one supplier combine cherry, grape and blueberry bags in one container?

Yes. Fuxing produces MAP and micro-perforated cherry liners, table grape zipper and slider bags, cone bags and blueberry films, plus PP corrugated boxes and corrugated cartons, and can consolidate mixed SKUs in one container to South American ports — one QC, one shipment, one set of documents.

MAP Bags for Cherries: Liner Specs, Sizes & Season Timing

Fuxing Development Group · Updated September 20, 2026 · Guía en español: bolsas para cerezas y arándanos

Quick answer: For sea shipments of ~20 days or longer (Chile → China runs 22–35 days), use a sealed MAP box liner — co-extruded film, typically 35–60 µm, holding an equilibrium atmosphere in the region of O₂ 5–10% / CO₂ 10–15% to slow stem browning and softening. For air freight or transits under ~15 days, a laser micro-perforated liner (25–40 µm) is cheaper, needs no sealer and avoids condensation and off-flavor risk. The mainstream export format is a 5 kg box of roughly 300 × 500 mm; confirm liner sizes and printed artwork 10–12 weeks before the November season start — for Chilean and Peruvian packers that means locking orders in September–October.

Why cherries get a modified atmosphere and most fruit doesn't

Sweet cherries are sold on three things buyers can see in the first five seconds: green stems, shine and firmness. All three degrade fast at normal atmosphere. The commercial answer on long routes is to pack the fruit inside a box liner that either holds a modified atmosphere (MAP) or ventilates in a precisely controlled way (laser micro-perforation) while keeping humidity near 90–95% so stems don't dry out.

Which of the two you should buy is mostly a function of transit time and equipment, not of brand names. The table below is the decision in one view.

MAP liner vs micro-perforated liner vs plain PE: the comparison

Criterion	Sealed MAP box liner	Laser micro-perforated liner	Plain PE liner
Best transit window	20–45 days (sea to Asia, Europe)	Up to ~15 days (air freight, regional sea)	Domestic / short haul only
Atmosphere	Equilibrium ~O₂ 5–10%, CO₂ 10–15%	Near-ambient, high humidity, controlled gas exchange through calibrated holes	Uncontrolled; condensation common
Film	Co-extruded PE-based, 35–60 µm	LDPE/CPP 25–40 µm, laser holes ~60–120 µm, hole count tuned to fruit weight	LDPE 20–40 µm
Stem browning control	Best	Good on short transits	Poor
Sealing equipment	Impulse/band sealer recommended (some fold-over passive designs)	None — fold over the fruit	None
Main risk	Off-flavors if sealed at wrong temperature or over-long storage	Less protection if transit slips past plan	Moisture loss, dull fruit, mold
Indicative price per liner*	$0.08–0.18 (generic co-ex, volume); branded engineered films several times higher	$0.04–0.09	$0.02–0.05

*Indicative FOB ranges at container volumes for generic films; actual pricing depends on size, thickness, print and quantity — request a current quote.

Formats cherry exporters actually order

Format	Typical use	Typical spec
MAP box liner	2.5 kg / 5 kg export cartons, sea freight	Co-ex film 35–60 µm, sized to carton, sealed on line
Micro-perforated box liner	2.5 kg / 5 kg cartons, air freight or ≤15-day routes	25–40 µm, calibrated laser perforation, fold-over closure
Flow-pack / retail MAP pouch	200 g – 1 kg retail packs, supermarket programs	Printed film reels or pre-made pouches, up to 8-color print
Zipper / slider retail bag	Gift and e-commerce formats, Asia retail	Micro- or macro-perforated, red/gold print most requested

Sizing a liner for the 5 kg cherry box

The dominant export format into Asia is a 5 kg box with a footprint of roughly 300 × 500 mm. Don't guess the liner from the fruit weight — derive it from the carton:

Liner flat width = box width + box height + 40–60 mm allowance
Liner length = box length + box height + 150–200 mm overhang for closing or sealing

For a typical 5 kg carton that lands in the region of 450–500 mm flat width × 750–850 mm length. A liner cut too tight is the most common cause of failed seals and crushed corner fruit; too loose wastes film on every one of the hundreds of thousands of boxes a season ships. Send us your carton's inside dimensions and we return a cutting spec with the quote.

The calendar: when bags must be ordered

Milestone	Chile (main season Nov–Jan)	Peru
Specs & artwork locked	September – early October	September – early October
Production ex-works	15–25 days after confirmation	15–25 days
Sea freight to port	30–45 days to Valparaíso / San Antonio	30–45 days to Callao
Bags in packhouse	by early–mid November	by November

Count backwards and the conclusion is unavoidable: a cherry bag order confirmed after mid-October is an air-freight order. The cheapest kilogram of cherry packaging is the one confirmed in September.

What to require from any supplier

Whether you buy from us or not, put these five items in your RFQ: (1) film structure and thickness in µm, stated in writing; (2) for micro-perforated film, the hole calibration for your pack weight, not a generic count; (3) food-contact documentation (we manufacture under ISO 9001 with SGS-tested food-grade materials); (4) a cutting spec derived from your carton's inside dimensions; (5) a production-plus-freight timeline that shows bags in your packhouse two weeks before first harvest. Suppliers who publish specs answer these in one day; suppliers who don't, won't.

Cherry season is decided in September

Fuxing Group supplies MAP and micro-perforated cherry liners, table grape bags and blueberry films to exporters in Chile and Peru — with published specs, up to 8-color print, and bags + PP boxes + cartons consolidated in one container. Quotes within 12 hours.

WhatsApp Quote Email jacky@fuxinggroup.cn

Or use the contact form →

FAQ

Should I use MAP bags or micro-perforated liners for the Chile-to-Asia sea route?: For sea shipments of roughly 20 days or longer (Chile → China is typically 22–35 days), a sealed MAP box liner protects stems and firmness better because it holds a low-O₂, elevated-CO₂ atmosphere for the whole transit. For air freight or transits under about 15 days, a laser micro-perforated liner is usually the better choice: it costs less, needs no sealing equipment and carries no risk of off-flavors from an over-modified atmosphere.
What liner size fits a 5 kg cherry export box?: Work from the carton's inside dimensions: flat width = box width + height + 40–60 mm; length = box length + height + 150–200 mm overhang. For the mainstream ~300 × 500 mm 5 kg box that means roughly 450–500 mm × 750–850 mm. Confirm against your actual carton before printing.
When should Chilean and Peruvian exporters confirm cherry bag orders?: September–October. Artwork needs locking 10–12 weeks ahead, production takes 15–25 days and sea freight 30–45 days — bags confirmed after mid-October generally have to fly.
Do MAP cherry liners need a heat sealer?: Sealed MAP performs most consistently, so most packhouses run a simple impulse or band sealer; some passive designs fold and tape. Micro-perforated liners never need sealing.
Can cherry bags and liners be printed with our brand?: Yes — up to 8 colors with food-contact-safe inks on liners, flow-pack film and retail pouches. Red and gold designs are the most requested for Asian gift formats.
Can one supplier combine cherry, grape and blueberry bags in one container?: Yes. We consolidate cherry liners, grape zipper/slider and cone bags, blueberry films, PP corrugated boxes and corrugated cartons in one container to South American ports — one QC, one shipment, one document set.