The last of the stone fruit from Chile is finishing up now, with only plums remaining to be shipped. Peaches and nectarines finished shipping a few weeks ago, and any remaining fruit is being sold within South America. Volumes were very close to the average, and growers did not face any overly adverse conditions this year.
"March 12 - 15 saw the last of the peaches and nectarines of the Chilean season," said Matias Ruiz-Tagle of New World Farming Trade. "There are only a few Angelino plums still to go now, with almost none of the remaining fruit heading to the US market. It's been a pretty normal season and quantities remained the same as previous years. During the southern spring, conditions were slightly more humid than normal, which meant the fruit ripened quicker and it slightly affected the shelf life. But quality was very good and overall conditions were excellent, with no significant weather concerns."
Growers pleased with this year's market
The market on stone fruit maintained a good level throughout the season, and growers were pleased with the returns. The only fruit that stood out were cherries, which saw a large increase in production. But despite the additional volume, the market was able to absorb it, albeit at a lower price.
"The market was really decent during the whole season and there was no collapse like last year," Ruiz-Tagle said. "With the faster ripening fruit, a strategy was put in place with retailers to help move the fruit more quickly which was successful. We also saw good demand for fruit in generally warmer states, such as Florida, Texas and California where we sold most of the fruit. Prices were better than average on most stone fruit and growers were able to make good returns."
"Chile did see a large cherry crop this year, with an increase of up to 40 percent due to favorable weather conditions," he continued. "This did result in lower prices for that fruit. However, fortunately all of it found a home in China, which already consumes 80 percent of Chilean cherry exports."
Retailers wanting more visuals
In terms of packaging, producers have been working closely with retailers in helping to promote stone fruit. Ruiz-Tagle said that retailers have been asking for better display of the fruit in the packs.
"Retailers were asking for more exposition of the tree fruits this season," he noted. "So some minor modifications were made in the boxes and clamshells. We saw 10 x 2lb as well as 6 x 3lbs, and also fruit in clamshells. In the US, most stone fruit is not sold by variety, like apples for example. This is not the case in places like South America and Europe, where there is more of an opportunity to highlight each different variety."
For more information:
Matias Ruiz-Tagle
New World Farming Trade
Tel: +1 (203) 683-0348