"We expect a normal campaign in terms of volume, with good calibres. Last season, due to weather issues, we suffered a 40% reduction in production volumes and prices soared, "explains Bruno Ceroni, Export Manager for Europe & Latin America of the company Verfrut, adding: "It would be good if prices didn't drop by more than 30% compared to last year."
The Verfrut Group is devoted to the production, processing and export of fresh fruit. It ships about 6.6 million boxes of products like plums, apples, pears, cherries and mandarins, among others.
"We are the country's largest fresh fruit grower, and one of the few Chilean companies that produces 100% of what it exports. We have control over every link in the production chain, allowing us to guarantee the quality of all our products," affirms Bruno Ceroni.
The company started harvesting in late December with the Black Amber variety, which is one of the earliest, characterised by large calibres, very dark peel and yellow flesh.
The later varieties will be harvested in late March, with the peak taking place between the second half of February and the first half of March. In this regard, Bruno says: "Most of our fruit is of the Larry Anne and Angeleno varieties; with the latter, we can continue shipping until April, when there are fewer volumes in the market."
This year, the company plans to export 20 containers of plums. "Our main market is the United States, which overall is the main destination for our stonefruit; we also focus very strongly on Latin America and we ship the varieties able to withstand long hauls to the Asian market," explains Bruno.
"In Chile, stonefruit in general is undergoing a varietal conversion. The acreage has not significantly increased, but these new varieties, with larger calibres and better post-harvest shelf life, allow us to be more competitive in the Asian markets," concludes Bruno.
One factor to consider is the devaluation of the Chilean peso. At the moment, the exchange rate stands at 620 pesos per US dollar, down 20% compared to last season. This was welcomed by the industry, as it entails a competitive advantage for producers and exporters, since domestic costs have not increased significantly.
Bruno Ceroni
Exports Manager
Europe & Latin America
VERFRUT
+56-2 2820 0904
bceroni@verfrut.cl