Argentina’s fresh fruit and vegetable exports have continued on their downward spiral following the trend since the start of the year.
Sendings declined by 31.16 per cent to 239,993 tonnes up to 30 June 2012, according to figures from Patagonia Norte, which operates the ports of San Antonio Este and Bahía Blanca.
The export shortfall comprised apples, pears, lemons, onions, pumpkin, stonefruit and table grapes, among other items.
Among the biggest export items, pear sendings fell by 27.2 per cent to 193,132 tonnes, and apples contracted by 35.4 per cent to 74,101 tonnes.
Cherries, peaches and nectarines, meanwhile, fell to zero, and plums fell by 81.97 per cent to 176 tonnes.
Onions also recorded a 77 per cent decrease to 2,640 tonnes.
Exports fell to a number of destinations, including Russia – Argentina’s main export market during the first half of 2012 – which received 116,482 tonnes of fruit, down 19.5 per cent on the year-earlier period.
Sendings also declined to Argentina’s other leading export markets including the Netherlands (-50 per cent), the US (-16.4 per cent), Italy (-42.7 per cent) and Algeria (-15.4 per cent).
