Even though fruit producers have stated that the 2015-2016 season would be a complex productive period, mainly because of last year's cold spring and the heavy rains there were in April, some crops had a good performance. This mitigated the results of the sector's two main exports: the slight drop that the table grapes had and their inability to increase apple production to the volumes achieved in previous seasons, when more than 750,000 tons of apples were shipped.
Other species, such as blueberries, avocados, and citrus, had higher returns for Chilean fruit vendors abroad. In fact, according to a projection from the Fruit Exporters Association of Chile (Asoex), the country will have exported 4,722 million dollars worth in this fruit season, which comes to an end on Wednesday August 31. That is 3.4% more than in the previous year and the highest value achieved in the last five years. This year, fruit production will generate $154 million dollars more in revenue than in the 2014-2015 season. According to producers, the last 60 days of the season were crucial, especially in the case of citrus and avocados, as there were sharp increases in volumes.
According to projections, total shipments of fruit would total 2.5 million tons, i.e. a 5.7% increase over the previous season.
"Compared to last season, table grapes and cherries had a low export supply because of the weather, essentially," said the president of Asoex, Ronald Bown. This season cherry exports were 20,000 tons lower than in the previous period, which represents a drop of $5 million dollars.
Source: economiaynegocios.cl / El Mercurio