The Argentinean pear industry has reportedly incurred losses of up to US$50m because of strikes by fruit growers, pickers and packers in the Río Negro and Neuquén regions of the South American country.
The stand-off, which included 12 consecutive days of road blocks, apparently coincided with the harvesting peak for the Williams pear crop, leaving much of the fruit unharvested or unstored and now too ripe for export, according to national newspaper La Nación.
“The situation becomes more serious hour by hour because this week was the critical week for the pear harvest for export, and our estimates are that we have between US$45m and US$50m in losses,” Marcelo Loyarte, manager of the Argentina Chamber of Integrated Fruit Growers (CAFI),” is quoted as saying in La Nación.
“This is without counting collateral damage, which at this moment is difficult to measure,” Mr Loyarte added.
La Nación reported that the three workers unions in the area have now reached salary increase agreements with the government.
Argentina is anticipating a 23 per cent increase in pear production this season, with better quality in comparison to 2010.
Export prospects were also looking favourable, according to local representatives, due to fewer local pear stocks in the Northern Hemisphere.
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