As Chilean apple growers prepares for the start of the 2014 season, forecasts suggest that overall production will be similar to last year However, export volumes could be lower due to the impact of last September’s freeze. Andrea Betinyani of Decofrut said that crop data was still being gathered ahead of making a final production estimate, but at this stage there appeared to be a higher incidence of cosmetic damage across some varieties, and average sizes were expected to be smaller overall as a result of last year’s cold snap.
“Both these factors are likely to lead to a reduction in the volume of fruit exported in 2014,” Betinyani told Fruitnet, adding that cosmetic issues could be compounded by the high temperatures seen across some of the main growing areas this week which could reduce coloration and cause some sun damage to fruit.
Ricardo Cati of Unifrutti said the season was running slightly later than usual but the recent hot spell had put production back on track. Harvesting of early season varieties is due to begin at the beginning of February.
Chilean growers will face strong competition in Europe and North America due to greater availability of local production. The European apple crop grew by 7 per cent in 2013, while in the US, estimates from the US Apple Association showed that stocks were running at 91,299 cartons on 1 January 2013, above the five-year average.
“We’re unlikely to enjoy a repeat of the high prices seen at the outset of last season,” Cati said.
