Chilean producers export 260 thousand metric tons of table grapes to the United States annually. The arid Atacama region accounts for around 15 percent of Chilean area planted in table grapes. Chile seeks a systems approach to improve market access for three regions: Atacama, Coquimbo, and Valparaiso. A new regulatory approach would benefit these areas by altering the current fumigation requirements.
Fumigation significantly decreases the quality and shelf life of the fruit, which negatively impacts its competitiveness. On January 27-28, 2022, the U.S. Chargé d’affairs led an embassy delegation to visit grape orchards, packing houses, and export facilities near the city of Copiapó in the Atacama region of Chile. The delegation included staff from FAS Santiago and a technical team from APHIS’s preclearance program. The following includes information compiled from both teams.
Table grape production and systems approach in Chile
Chile has access to the U.S. table grape market but seeks a systems approach to improve market access for three Chilean growing regions: Atacama, Coquimbo, and Valparaiso. Chilean producers export 260 thousand metric tons of table grapes to the United States, from December to May annually. A systems approach would benefit the three Chilean regions by helping them avoid using methyl bromide (MB) fumigation to mitigate against European grapevine moth (EGVM). Fumigation significantly decreases the quality and shelf life of the fruit, which results in lower prices from retailers.
Table grape production in Chile
The United States is the top export destination for Chilean table grapes, and Chile is the top import supplier for the U.S. market. Forty-four percent of Chile’s table grape exports are shipped to the U.S. market, with China, Korea, and the European Union importing much of the remaining Chilean production. In MY2020/21, the United States imported $633 million of table grapes from Chile, equivalent to 259,588 metric tons.
Click here to read the full report.
Source: lnks.gd
