Heavy frosts in Chile last week could reportedly affect some of the country’s main fruit crops this summer, according to the country’s leading fruit organisations.
“These frosts have been much more forceful in duration and temperature compared with previous years,” Ronald Bown, president of the Chilean Exporters Association (Asoex), told Chilean newspaper La Tercera.
As a result, fruits which are more sensitive to frosty conditions (such as avocados, oranges and lemons) could see production problems, according to Antonio Walker, who was recently elected president of the Chilean Fruit Growers Federation (Fedefruta).
Mr Walker estimates that over the next four or five days there might be a more concrete assessment of the situation.
According to Mr Bown, meanwhile, deciduous fruit such as table grapes, should not encounter any problems.
“In many areas there has been greater accumulation of chill hours, which suggests the trees will begin to bud at the beginning of spring with a good production of flowers and ultimately fruit,” he explained.
