The organic Royal Gala and Pink Lady season kicked off this year with strong sales, despite the lack of market supply. "Given the frequent rainfall recorded this year, we saw a significant decrease in production volumes, of about 15%, as well as a reduction in the size of the apples, which means calibres have been smaller," explains Miguel Elissalt, spokesperson of Huertos Huaiquivilo.
It is worth stressing that the exchange rate of the dollar is encouraging exports, but volumes have so far not been large enough to meet the demand. "The equation is simple: the increased demand and lower yields have been offset by better prices. Despite the higher cost of organic apples compared to conventional ones, with more production and sales, the extra costs involved in organic production are compensated. This year, the forecast is that sales will go fast, which will prevent issues caused by long storage periods. The storage of organic fruit is very complex, so this situation is very beneficial, and we'll have few losses," affirms the representative of the Chilean company.
Also, the predisposition for the improved versions of Gala apples is indisputable. The current market demands fruit with a better appearance, and in the case of apples, colour is the most important factor. Europe is a market focused mostly on red apples, like Royal Gala and Pink Lady; meanwhile, the United States and Canada have a more varied demand, which is why Granny Smith and Fuji clones are mostly intended for these markets.
"The United States continues to consolidate as the main importer of Chilean organic apples; firstly, because it is one of the markets offering the best price, and secondly, because Chile is one of the few exporting countries that meets its trade requirements. Competitors like Argentina do not usually meet such strict phytosanitary requirements. Chile is a country theoretically free of pests and has the advantage of its suitable natural conditions," concludes Elissalt.
Chile started exporting organic apples to the world back in the 90's. Currently, more than 1,200,000 boxes are shipped every year, and taking into account that the demand for organic products continues to grow, organic apples are gaining a stronger foothold. Furthermore, the country continues to make technological advances and improve the logistics processes required to export organic products worldwide, acquiring, at the same time, plenty of valuable experience in the product's handling. All this is allowing organic apples to become increasingly accessible and attractive to the international markets.