The market demand and prices in the US are “amazing” while also very good in Latin America, Europe and Asia too for table grapes from Chile, says Cristian Ferriere, export manager from Acograpes in Chile. “Mostly in the United States we are seeing amazing prices that are several dollars higher compared to last season at the same time. We are very positive about the results so early in the season. Our biggest volume is from the Aconcagua Valley (central area in Chile), that just started harvesting, which are being sent to the States, with good prices in Latin America too.”
He says Chile will see a stable supply to markets with the harvest in the North that started two weeks earlier. “In Chile the North valley are around two weeks early with the harvest. This is because of the good weather in Spring. The Central and Southern part of Chile, Santiago and other areas, where about 60-70%of volume comes from, are one week to 10 day delayed due to cold spring temperatures. These are two very different situations. It is not bad because now we can offer more fruit from Chile. There will be much less overlap from the different areas. We can offer more fruit with the earlier start and we will finish later too. The offer from week to week is a little less, but with more weeks to offer.”
Ferriere attributes this 2024 season’s bright prospects to good weather. “Production looks to be similar with the volumes of last season to be reached. Chile is growing a little bit in white seedless while going down a little in Red Globe. Red and black seedless should be similar in total volume. This season we have a good level of water available. There is no problem with irrigation, this is good. The sizes of the grapes look good too.”
Red Globe in demand again
Acograpes farms are located in Central Chile in the Aconcagua Valley, that has seen an up to 10 days delay in harvesting. “We started with a small volume last week and will start in earnest this week with the harvest. Our total volume is around 660,000 boxes of grapes. We also produce some mandarins during our winter. This is very good because we serve almost the same clients. We produce new varieties as well as good volume of Red Globe, which is now in demand. The offer of Red Globe went down very fast from Peru and Chile. We decided to go the opposite way, we see a hot market for the Red Globe. We try to keep the hectares of Red Globe seeing that others are cutting the trees. We have around 300 hectares of table grapes and 30 ha of mandarins with more plantings right now. We are trying to renovate the old orchards with new varieties. The money in the pocket is the limit. The last few seasons were not so good. We are taking it step by step and according to our financial capacity,” explains Ferriere.
He says because Peru is finishing earlier with lower volumes of grapes harvested and exported it helps Chile especially in the US market. “It is helping us a lot to have a more empty mark. I heard Peru has between 10-15% less fruit and they are finishing early. These two things are helping the Chile situation a lot. In the first part of our season it helps to have a good positive market until now. I wish it will continue over the next three to four weeks, then we will see. If we have early fruit from the North we see a better spread of grapes in the market with less of a peak during the season, the North will be out when the South comes with their volumes. We therefore see a positive market,” states Ferriere.
He also sees increasing demand from China for their Chilean grapes. “I’m seeing good demand from China. I have old clients with who we continue our long term relationships. I receive a minimum of five to six potential clients asking me for grapes. I receive a lot of requests for fruit. In theory demand should be good in China and Asia too,” concludes Ferriere.
For more information:
Cristian Ferriere
Acograpes
Tel: +56 9 5063 5766
Email: cristian.ferriere@acograpes.cl