Shipments projected to top 30m cartons in 2023/24
Chilean stonefruit exports are set to exceed 30m cartons in 2023/24 according to the preliminary forecast released by Fruits from Chile. The estimate is based on data provided by 44 producers who together accounted for 84 per cent of stonefruit exports last season.
Japanese plum exports are projected to grow 19 per cent to 13.4m cartons (7kg), while shipments of European plums will reach 8.1m cartons (9kg), an increase of 25 per cent on last season. Nectarine exports are set to grow 22 per cent to 12.5m cartons (8kg).
Within the Japanese plum segment, red varieties are down 8 per cent at 5.7m cartons while black varieties are up 15 per cent at 5.7m cartons.
In nectarines, both yellow and white varieties are projected to grow, the former by 32 per cent to 5.0m cartons and the latter by 38 per cent to 7.5m cartons, Fruits from Chile said.
Fruits from Chile also announced that it is to create a stonefruit committee to maximise export opportunities and drive the move towards new varieties with better quality and greater consistency.
The second stonefruit estimate will be released at the end of January and will include peaches, which recently gained access to the China market.
Chile exported 242,000 tonnes of stonefruit worth US$409m in 2022/23.
