Chile: Disruption to fruit export due to port strike

Chilean Fruit Exporters Association (Asoex) President, Ronald Bown, and Chilean Fruit Growers Federation (Fedefruta), Cristian Allendes, announced on Wednesday that, given the conflict that led to the shutdown of several ports in the country, they were forced to stop fruit harvests.

Fruit growers in most of Chile's central-southern regions will temporarily halt harvesting, as some 1,600 containers sit at the San Antonio port and producers' losses already total some $50 million, fruit trade group Fedefruta said.

Due to the situation affecting the ports of the country, especially in San Antonio, which is causing millions in losses in the industry, as well as a large fruit concentration in packing houses and cold storage units, fruit harvest from V to IX regions has had to be ceased.

The Asoex leader added that this could also impact on the industry’s farm workers. “We are talking about at least 100,00 workers that could eventually cease their labors,” he explained.

Chilean radio station Radio Cooperativa reported, dock workers have been on strike 21 days since the beginning of the conflict which started in Mejillones due to disputes with the company Ultraport. Since then workers from other Chilean terminals joined them “in solidarity,” most importantly San Antonio port.