A problem Chilean exporters have in accessing Asian markets is the quality of the fruit after a long boat trip. To remedy this, producers are waiting for new, high quality apple and cherry varieties that can withstand long journeys and arrive at their destinations in perfect condition.
Given the high export volumes of apples, producers expect to have the first Chilean varieties from the INIA by the year 2020. Expectations are that these first Chilean apples will have a good taste, crispness, and be resistant to damage. Something similar is happening with the cherries, as the INIA is also working to deliver the first Chilean cherry varieties that will come into production both earlier and later than the current varieties used by the industry; thus expanding the supply time to new markets. They must also require less cold, so that cultivation can expand into the south. They should also have a post-harvest behavior that allows them to be transported for more than 30 days to the most distant markets, and other color and flavor characteristics.
The Inia grape-one, which was created by the INIA, is being successfully grown in Chile and other countries. It has been exported to China, Taiwan, the United States and Europe, and in 2015 it surpassed a million dollars in shipments.
The development of new, higher quality products, that are safe and have beneficial health properties, is a constant challenge that companies will continue to face in the near future. Genetic improvement, which can increase performance or productivity, resistance or tolerance to diseases and pests or external agents such as temperature, humidity, water shortages, and climate change, as well as the quality of their products, is achieved through crossbreeding or genetic modifications.
Genetic improvement
Producing genetically modified foods is not allowed in Chile. The Institute of Agricultural Research (INIA) is the main institution generating plant varieties, with 52 years of history and 19 breeding programs. The institution has created more than 270 varieties of crops, vegetables, fruits, and fodder, making it the institution that has released the most varieties of Chilean food products to the market.
According to Julio Kalazich, the national director of the INIA and genetic improver of potatoes, "genetic improvement is a tool used throughout the world to face the challenges of producing more and better food to meet the growing global demand in an area that is becoming more and more limited, and in a scenario of climate change where it is imperative our approach is sustainable and we take care of the environment. The development of new varieties is a key factor to be competitive."
Source: El Mercurio