"Chile: "Frost could damage 30% of plum production"

Chile had a series of frosts in early September mainly affecting the Sixth and Seventh Regions. While these frosts were expected, their magnitude surprised the producers of stone fruit in these regions. The plum was the most badly affected stone fruit and these 6 days of continuous frost could have damaged up to 30% of future production.

"This was a polar front that had been announced, but its magnitude was much higher than expected and it affected many areas at the same time. The vast majority of the producers in the Sixth and Seventh Region have been affected, to a greater or lesser extent, depending on their orchards' location and their phenological state. At present, it is very difficult to quantify the damage, "said Alvaro Sepulveda, assistant commercial manager at Copefrut.

According to weather forecasts, there should be no more frosts in the next few weeks, but producers will take precautions for the whole month of September. "Since the plum is a fruit with a great productive potential, there is hope that the final damage is less than we've seen on the ground and that the frosts served as a natural thinning. We'll only have a clearer picture of what the consequences really were on the plum production at the beginning of October," said Sepulveda.

For more information:

Álvaro Sepúlveda
Copefrut
T: +56 961200663
E: alvaro.sepulveda@copefrut.cl
www.copefrut.cl