Drop in Chilean grape prices due to strong Peruvian exports
Manuel José Alcaíno, president of Decofrut, affirmed that the drop is explained, mainly, by the raise in Peruvian exports of the same fruit.
An example of the first case is the raise in production shown in Peru. According to numbers from the Peruvian Table Grape Producers Association, in the 2011-2012 season were exported, until now, around 93,000 tons, an amount higher than any export in the 2010-2011 season.
In the Chilean industry, the producers in the region III are the most affected by this boom. This is because the grape harvesting in Peru starts in October, while in Atacama it starts in December. This allows Peruvian businessmen to arrive first in the US with their products, managing to take advantage of the high prices paid in that market at the beginning of the campaign.
Another worrying point is that labour costs are less in Peru, especially in the valley of Ica and Piura, where the table grape production is being developed more intensely.
"Peru is producing a very good red grape, mainly Red Globe. Moreover, counts on the advantage of having a cheaper labour hand", pointed out the president of the Fruit Producers Federation (Fedefruta), Antonio Walker.
According to the industry's calculations, Peru pays about 80% less for a temporary worker than Chile.
Other of the factors threatening Chilean's competitiveness on the Copiapó's grape is the availability and water usage. According to Ronald Brown, president of the Fruit Exporters Association (Asex), if in Chile 500m {+3} of water is used in the production of each ton of grapes, in Peru the amount of water drops to 300m {+3}.
"To that, we have to add up the serious problems with water availability in the region III, due to the consumption shown by resource mining", affirmed Brown.
150,000 tons of grape would be produced by the Peruvian industry during the 2011-2012 season, according to iQonsulting's information.
Source: El Mercurio