This communiqué expresses the deep concern that the Research and Development Commission for Table Grapes in Chile, UVANOVA, has about the damages and the consequences to the grape industry of the climactic event affecting the country between the Aconcagua area in the North, to the Region VII in the South.
The damages can be summarized as the concurrence of three main factors:
- The large amount of rain, which has ranged from 25 mm to 100 mm.
- The number of days that the fruit remained in a free water condition (3 at least).
- The permanent climatic anomaly there's been since the beginning of the rains, where relative humidity remained far above normal, setting a scenario for the proliferation of diseases that are impossible to stop.
This is an event in development, which doesn't allow the control and mitigation measures to be effective.
To date, Chile has exported 15 million boxes of 8.2 kilos. According to estimates, regions III and IV, which haven't been affected by the rains, contribute some 20 million boxes. The remaining 60 million boxes come from the affected area. The consensus of the team of advisers that make up UVANOVA is that Aconcagua, which produces 15 million boxes, would present losses that would range between 45-55%, while the RM will lose nearly 60-70% of the 15 million boxes it produces, and the VI Region would lose 70-80% of the nearly 30 million boxes it produces.
This means that only 18 to 22 million of the 60 million boxes that come from the affected regions could be exported.
We believe we must be completely honest about this harsh reality. Trying to minimize the current situation can lead to more expenses and exporting fruit that won't arrive in good conditions to distant markets.
The season will end earlier than usual and the country will stop perceiving no less than US $ 600 MM. Thus, we ask the entire chain that integrates the production and export of grapes to show solidarity before this productive disaster and support producers in various areas, ranging from the payment of royalties with genetic programs, commitments with nurseries, debts with banks, agrochemical companies, agricultural inputs, etc.
For more information:
UVANOVA
www.uvanova.cl