Chilean peach and nectarine exports fell by 8.1 per cent and 5 per cent respectively this campaign compared with last season, principally as a result of quality problems and falling demand caused by the global economic downturn.
Peach exports for the season, which runs from November to March, totalled 43,495 tonnes, of which some 64 per cent were shipped to the US, 26 per cent to other countries in Latin America and 10 per cent to Europe, according to Chilean market analyst Simfruit.
Shipments of nectarines reached 57,576 tonnes, with the US again accounting for half of Chile’s exports of the fruit, followed by Europe at 24 per cent, Latin America at 13 per cent and the Far East at 12 per cent.
However, there was better news for the South American country’s plum exports, the analyst said. Exports for the 2008/09 season increased by 7 per cent to 95,068 compared with the previous campaign, although they fell by 10 per cent compared with the 2006/07 export season.
According to Simfruit, the disappointing performance of Chile’s stonefruit sector was largely the result of difficulties with fruit quality caused by unfavourable weather in production regions, as well as a contraction in demand due to the economic downturn.
