The cherry crop was the only crop that increased in the last year in the provinces of Rio Negro and Neuquen, according to the 2016 statistical report presented by the Health and Food Quality Service (Senasa), through its Northern Patagonia Regional Center.
Cherry production occupies an area of 768 hectares, 26.7% more than in 2015. That amount is constituted by the sum of the 440 hectares that 169 producers in Rio Negro grow and the 328 hectares that 53 producers of Neuquen have.
According to the regional director of Senasa, Ricardo Sanchez, the cherry is in full growth. In that context, expectations regarding the opening of the Chinese market are high, as it "would be important for our region," he said.
"If you analyze the total area by species and takes into account the plants age, you'll discover that 49% of the cherry surface is has been planted in the last 10 years and that 852 hectares of the 42.714 hectares correspond to 60 years old orchards," he said.
Cherries are also the most exported stone fruit, with 1,671 tons destined mainly to Hong Kong and to the United States. Exports of other stone fruits, such as plums and peaches, amounted to 413 tons and 197 tons, respectively. Meanwhile, pome exports were led by apples and pears, with 303.667 tons and 89.397 tons, respectively.
According to the report, the surface planted with Gala apples decreased by 12.6%, while the surface with Granny Smith apples decreased by 9.3%. The area devoted to Abate Fetel, which had great projection a few years ago, decreased by 11% in the past year.
The places that have had the greatest pear and apple surface decrease are Lamarque, with a drop of 19.5% compared to 2015, and General Conesa, with a decline of 11.2%.
In 2016, there was a 5.1% increase of livestock existence compared to the year 2015, and the greatest amount of slaughtered tons in establishments authorized by Senasa in the past eight years. There was also a 22.3% increase in pig slaughter and 1,600% increase in shrimp caught.
"We have had three years of sustained growth in shrimp. There are five fish processing plants. Years ago it was only for hake. The catch performance improved and the period increased by a few months," Sanchez said.
Regarding the actions of the zoo-phytosanitary programs in North patagonia, authorities inspected 8,143 flights with 936,000 passengers in the airports in Río Negro and Neuquen, and seized 6,828 forbidden products.
The regional head of the National Institute of Viticulture, Omar Castro, and the head of INTA Family Agriculture, Marcelo Perez Centeno participated in the presentation.
Source: rionegro.com.ar