The price and the current demand for Chilean apples in Europe have declined considerably in recent weeks. This situation has been mainly affecting medium and small producers, who are now targeting other markets.
Jorge León, of Exportadora Frutasol Chile S. A., tells us about the current situation: "In Europe, sales are not as dynamic as we expected, mainly because there is still much stock of local apples, and supermarkets will continue to prefer these over those imported from overseas in order to save costs."
Fortunately for Chilean producers, the Gala varieties are still in good demand because of their adaptability to different markets, so they are a good option for the producer and exporter. "Luckily, other markets, such as the Middle East and Latin America, are demanding our apples, mainly the Gala varieties, which continue to sell at a normal rate, with good returns for most sizes and qualities," affirms León.
The harvest of this variety takes place within a short window of time, starting in mid-February and ending in early March. But the controlled atmosphere storage systems and the 1-MCP applications (SmartFresh) make it possible to store the fruit without any ripening problems until early August. "We believe that, in the next few weeks, the situation should improve a bit for some apple varieties. Supermarkets should speed up their sales before the start of the new European apple harvest season to open a window for Chilean fruit," added the spokesperson of Frutasol.
For more information:
Jorge León
Deputy Commercial Manager
Exportadora Frutasol Chile S. A.
T: +56 752576120