The forest fires in the Ñuble and Biobío regions have created a significant social and environmental crisis in Chile, destroying thousands of hectares, damaging communities, and causing many homes to be lost. However, according to sources in the fruit sector, their effect on export fruit production has so far been limited.
Christopher Dixon, representative of the exporter Rio Blanco, stated that the most affected regions are mainly forested. "This is primarily a forestry zone, and, to my knowledge, no one faces serious production issues," he said. Dixon noted that while cherry and blueberry cultivation exists in places like Angol, these areas account for a small portion of the country's total. "It's less than 10% of the overall production," he added, emphasizing that major fruit-producing regions, such as the Sixth and Seventh Regions, remain largely unaffected.
Dixon noted an indirect effect concerning port logistics. The fire in the Lirquén area temporarily halted port activities, potentially causing cargo to be rerouted to different terminals. "Everything that operates in that port will be redirected elsewhere, and it might impact us," he stated, emphasizing that this is currently only a possible operational adjustment.
The Frutas de Chile union agrees that there has been no direct damage to the fruit export sector. In an official statement, the organization expressed solidarity with the affected communities and noted that "so far, no direct damage to fruit-growing areas has been recorded," while noting that the situation is being continuously monitored.
Nicolás Yavar from UPAC Fruit shared a similar perspective, emphasizing that the primary damage has been in forestry and urban areas. "The damage is mainly forestry, not fruit production," he clarified, noting that the fires mostly affected coastal and foothill regions where fruit cultivation is limited. "Any occasional damage would be minor and unlikely to impact the industry," he concluded.
While the productive impact remains limited, sources concur that the scale of the human tragedy is considerable. Entire villages, homes, public infrastructure, and lives have been impacted, marking it as one of the most serious emergencies in recent years. Though the fruit-growing sector has not experienced structural damage, it continues to observe the fires' progression and potential indirect impacts on logistics and operations.
