Data from the Chilean Fruit Export Association shows that the export volume of plums rapidly expanded as a result of a "bumper harvest". The increased export volume caused the price of Chilean plums in the Chinese market to drop by 50% in comparison with last year.
D'Agen, one of the main plum varieties exported from Chile, is usually exported as dried fruit, but some exporters began to export fresh D'Agen plums to raise the asking price. Rafael Hurtado, CEO of Elicura Fruit Company explained in an interview that "more exporters join in the export of Chilean plums to the Chinese market in recent years because Chinese consumers greatly appreciate the sweet plums."
This year, however, the market prospects of Chilean plum exports left exporters unhappy. Experts in the industry expect the overall plum export volume to reach 5 million boxes this year, which is "an extraordinarily large number".
Raimondo Valenzuela, Asia export manager at Greenvic Company, commented that D'Agen sweet plums "saw a rapidly growing export volume in recent years." The average price of D'Agen sweet plums from Chile was around 210 yuan [31.27 USD] per box in the Chinese market in 2017-18. This year the price is only around 110 yuan [16.38 USD] per box.
Source: Chile Xinhua News